It’s that time of the year again: Catholics will flood the streets of Manila during the celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene on Jan. 9.
The religious celebration comes alongside several concerns: elections, the environment, security.
For instance, the Commission on Elections appealed to candidates to spare devotees from their political messages. It is a testament to their lack of scruples that these politicians even need to be reminded not to turn a religious celebration into a campaigning event.
And then we have fresh memories of the horrible garbage left by those who chose to celebrate Christmas and New Year at Luneta Park. After the revelry, several truckloads of trash were gathered, showing Filipinos’ penchant for merrymaking and spending quality time with family and friends, but also a bad habit of expecting other people to clean up after them.
Terrorism is always a concern, especially since at least three countries recently issued travel warnings against the Philippines. Martial law in Mindanao has been extended precisely because of the continued threat of terrorism—and we can easily imagine how such danger can easily cross over from any part of the archipelago to the capital.
This year there is an added factor to consider—the President’s unrelenting attacks on the Catholic Church and its leaders. On many occasions over the past two and a half years, President Rodrigo Duterte has not only criticized but slammed the Church for its excesses and inadequacies, and ridiculed some of its most cherished beliefs.
These shocking pronouncements notwithstanding, Mr. Duterte remains popular among his predominantly Catholic constituency. This presents a conundrum: If Filipino Catholics were, indeed, fervently religious, why isn’t there any outrage at all when their political leader insults their faith? Conversely, if the President were indeed popular, shouldn’t his views on the Catholic faith disturb many and dampen their religious zeal?
Then again, perhaps that is the essence of faith: Embracing a belief even when things go beyond logic and reason.
As Black Nazarene devotees go out and wear their devotion on their maroon sleeves tomorrow, may there be respect for religion, for safety, for sensibility—and most of all for the freedom to choose where to cast our faith.