The public at large could be forgiven for thinking that the Roman Catholic
Church is a church in crisis. Over the past 20 years it has been wracked by scandal,
riven by internal dissent, impacted by a barrage of official dogmatic encyclicals,
excommunications, resignations, calls to order, more calls to order and yet more
scandal. So rocky has been John Paul II’s papacy that one may wonder—is anyone in
control?
To answer this question, one must dig below the surface of lurid media headlines to
grasp that amid all this, Rome does have an agenda, and there are those who are definitely
in charge, and who will see to it that the agenda is carried out.
The problem is, for an observer to really understand that agenda and then monitor
its progress, one needs to have an appreciation of history—and that is an extremely scarce
commodity in today’s dumbed-down, culturally vacuous society.
With the ridiculous mass of people in EDSA supposedly fighting for “Separation of
Church and State” amid an impending investigation into potentially criminal activities
involving a certain church’s leadership, it has been easy to point and laugh at their gross
misunderstanding of this inviolable right granted unto us by the 1987 constitution.
Unfortunately, this rare moment where we can flaunt our apparent moral ascendancy in
this matter does not necessarily mean we are that much better. Most of us are guilty of not
understanding the implications of a genuine separation between church and state.
no fair-minded person could underrate its achievement in dealing with the
disunited,
The history of the work of the Church in the Philippine Islands leads one
inevitably to Friar Andrés de Urdaneta, the veteran navigator, who, as has
been seen,1 had become an Augustinian friar and accompanied Legazpi on his
memorable trip resulting in the conquest of the Philippine Islands by Spain.
Urdaneta had previously visited the Islands in other venturesome voyages
which had ended in disaster. His `natural abilities and extensive knowledge of
the eastern seas stood his commander in good stead at every point and most
effectively contributed to the success of the expedition.'2 Accompanied by
four other friars, Urdaneta organized the work of spreading the doctrine of
Christianity, while Legazpi undertook the pacification of the people and
extension of Spanish sovereignty throughout the Islands. The Legazpi
Monument, erected in a prominent place in the Manila park system, just
outside the walled city and facing the harbor, shows Legazpi carrying a sword
while Urdaneta at his side holds up the cross.
Of Urdaneta's companion friars it is said: 'Inspired by apostolic zeal,
reinforced by the glowing enthusiasm of the Catholic Reaction, gifted and
tireless, they labored in harmony with Legazpi, won converts, and checked the
slowly-advancing tide of Mohammedanism.' 3
He was inspector of primary schools; president of the health board and the board of
charities; president of the board of urban taxation; inspector of taxation; honorary
president of the board of public works; he certified the correctness of the cedula or
poll tax; he was the president of the board of statistics; he was president of the
census taking of the town; he was censor of the municipal budgets; president of the
prison board and inspector of the food provided for the prisoners; he was a member
of the board for partitioning crown lands. In some cases, in the capitals of provinces,
he acted as auditor. He was also counselor for the municipal council. He was
supervisor of the selection of the police force; examiner of the scholars attending
the first and second grades in the public schools; censor of plays, comedies, and
dramas in the language of the country.11 In some cases it appears that the friars in
fact controlled the Guardia Civil, or insular police.
The Taft Commission sums it all up in these words: `It is easy to see from this that the priest
was not only the spiritual guide, but that he was in every sense the municipal ruler.’ 12
Before our country fell under American rule, the blanket of Catholicism covered
the archipelago. There was a union of church and state and Catholicism was the
state religion under theSpanish Constitution of 1876.
Civil authorities exercised religious functions and the friars exercised civil
powers.
Catholicism was in fact protected by the Spanish Penal Code of 1884 which was in
effect in the Philippines. Some of the offenses in chapter six of the Penal Code
entitled “Crimes against Religion and Worship” referred to crimes against the
state religion.
Basically, if something is a crime in a secular setting, dressing it up as a religious
practice probably doesn’t make it OK.
The governor-general had power over the church.
· The friars, on the other hand, played a very important role in the government.
· The Archbishop was only the most powerful in the church. However, it seemed that the
church exercised more power than the government and because of this; the government in the
Philippines was called “Frailocracia,” a government controlled by the friars.
