Many Priests are Urged to Enter Politics—Church Official

MANILA, July 22, 2009- Many priests are being pushed to run for public office in forthcoming national elections, a Catholic Church official affirmed Wednesday.

Fr. Francis Lucas said some of them are almost enticed to enter politics because of intense pressure from the parishioners seeking for reform in governance.

"I'm sure many priests are being encouraged to run for government posts and (some of them) are getting forced to do it," he said.

Lucas, who is a commission executive secretary in the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, said that for these priests, their decision provides the people a better choice.

He said the current situation in the Philippines is the primary reason why people resort to church leaders to serve for them.

And the complaint, he said, is valid.

If one will look at the kinds of candidates who ran for public office, he said, many of them belong to political dynasties, scion of rich families and other popular figures.

Another reason why many people wants priests in public office is the belief, Lucas said, that they can provide a better leadership for the upliftment of the country.

Needless to say, according to Lucas, the country is in really a sad state.

"If there's just good governance, our lay people will stand up and will no longer push us priests. But so far there's really a vacuum," Lucas said.

"Although personally, I am seeing more lay people embracing good governance and principled commitment to the people," he added.

Lucas also admitted that he himself is one of those priests who are being urged to run for a local post in the 2010 elections.

He said a lot of people in Infanta, Quezon have trying to convince him for many years to run for mayor there.

"They were rooting for me to run for mayor," he said.

"I saw their point. We priests, we keep on looking for alternatives, pushing for principles that are good for the people. So they said why don't we just run? But I said, as priests, we are not allowed to run for public office based on Canon Law," added Lucas.

To help him decide whether to leave the priesthood or not, Lucas asked for a "sign from God" and this he got last June when he was appointed executive secretary of the CBCP's Commission on Social Communications and Mass Media.

"I told them since you are pushing for that, I leave it to God. There must be a sign. So when I was appointed as CBCP executive secretary, I had to abide because I love my priesthood and serving the church, much more than serving a local community which I could also do even without me running as mayor," he said.

But Lucas said he could very well understand why some priests are sometimes forced to run for public office just like priest-turned-Pampanga Gov. Eddie Panlilio, who recently declared his intention of joining the presidential race in 2010.

"I could relate with Panlilio. It has become a strong desire for him (to run) because he could help the people. But I'm looking at my priesthood. For me, that is the primary the highest form of service. Being a politician is just secondary," said Lucas.

A priest of the Prelature of Infanta in Quezon, Lucas devoted most of his 35 years in the priesthood evangelizing and advocating for environmental, economic and agricultural development thru media.

He is also one of the pioneers advancing the community broadcasting approach in Asia. (Roy Lagarde)