Tagle to Catholics: Refrain from delivering fake news, hate speech

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle on Maundy Thursday urged the Catholic faithful to refrain from delivering fake news and hate speech. 

“Andami-dami nang tagapagdala ng bad news, fake news, hate speech. We, today, all the consecrated, all the baptized, bearing the Holy Spirit, will say I will not deliver fake news, hate speech,” Tagle said in his homily during the Chrism Mass at the Manila Cathedral.

“I am consecrated by the Spirit, I will bring good news to the poor and the suffering.  Those consecrated by the Spirit will proclaim liberty to captives, those consecrated by the Spirit will not lead others to further captivity and imprisonment and enslavement,” he added.

Tagle said many youth today never hear good news, resulting in the feeling of being unloved.

“Many young people live their lives in bad news—hindi makatapos ng pag-aaral, kulang sa pera, ‘yung nakatapos wala namang mahanap na trabaho, ‘yung iba binu-bully. Ang pangit mo, ang taba mo, ayaw kitang kaibigan, nakakahiya kang kasama, ayus-ayusin mo ang ahit ng mukha mo para maging kaibigan kita,” he said.

He added there were young people who no longer want to go to school for fear of being bullied, and that there were others who think of ending their lives.

“May mga bata na ayaw nang pumasok dahil mabu-bully sila, may mga bata na nag-iisip magpakamatay dahil pakiramdam nila ‘walang nagmamahal sa akin’,” Tagle said.

Tagle said the older people should be the one to “proclaim the good news.”

“They (young people) only hear criticisms, they only hear their incapacity to meet the expectations, expectations which are not realistic. We are consecrated, annointed by the Spirit. Parents, teachers, peers: Go! live your consecration, proclaim good news,” he said.

He further said the Catholic faithful should proclaim liberty to the oppressed and not add to their oppression. “We  are to give recovery to the blind and not add to the blindness already enveloping the world especially of the young.”

Tagle reiterated that the Church loves the young people as he urged them to live their lives and mission according to Christ.

“Hindi lang kayo mahal ng Simbahan. You are beloved as the Father called Jesus. We want to assure you that you are dearly loved. You are consecrated, do not waste your consecration, live your Christian lives and mission. Teach us also kung paano isasabuhay sa panahon ngayon ang ating common consecration,” he said. —KBK, GMA News