Bishop seeks forgiveness from youth for 'present mess'

MANILA, Philippines - A senior Catholic bishop asked forgiveness from Filipino youths for the present moral mess left behind by the present generation. Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said the present generation of Filipinos had allowed corruption to destroy society because they turned a blind eye to it. "Parang nagkulang kami, nagbulag-bulagan kami, ito ang kanilang minamana, ang isang pamahalaan na corurpt from top to bottom [It is our fault. We turned a blind eye to wrongdoing and corruption from top to bottom, so the youth will inherit the fruits of our negligence]," Cruz said in an interview on dzXL radio. He said that because of such neglect, the youths will inherit a country that is lacking in moral integrity. Even the practice of selling votes to stave off hunger is no longer an excuse for leaving a corrupt society to the next generation, he said. Cruz said the only way the present generation can make it up to the youth will be to start cleaning up the mess they made now. "Pero talagang ang kabataan natin ang mamanahin nila kung hindi natin tinuwid ito ay talagang kawawa sila [Unless we clean up the mess we made, our youths stand to inherit a corrupt society]," he said. In the meantime, Cruz said he will "apologize" to the youth in seminars for the present generation's neglect that allowed injustice and corruption to rule. "Kakausapin ko samahan ng kabataan sa seminars, una kong hihingin ang kanilang paumanhin, kaming matatanda hindi namin pinangalagaan ang mabuting ugali sa bansa [I will talk to the youth and ask their forgiveness because our present generation did not take care of our country]," he said. He also said the Catholic Church is already helping the youth prepare for a better future by holding voter education efforts to make the polls in 2010 honest. "Malakas ang aming kilusan sa kabataan. Itong kabataan ang kinabukasan ang higit na pangalagaan [We have strong rapport with the youth when it comes to poll preparations. The youth's future is our top priority]," he said. - GMANews.TV