Mother Butler Guild expresses solidarity, support for accused clergymen
The Mother Butler Guild (MBG), in solidarity with the accused members of the clergy in a sedition case filed by the government recently, will pray the holy rosary, attend masses, and fast as an expression of support.
Henrietta De Villa
(CEAP National Secretariat / YouTube / MANILA BULLETIN)
“The Mother Butler Guild mandates all its officers and members to do the following acts of solidarity with the accused bishops: Pray the rosary from Aug. 9 to 15, fast on Friday Aug.9, and attend mass on Aug.9,” said former ambassador to the Holy See Henrietta De Villa, president of the MBG.
De Villa said that the bishops accused of cyber libel and sedition were spiritual directors of the MBG Diocesan Councils, namely, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) vice president Kaloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, former CBCP president Lingayen Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco, and Novaliches Bishop-Emeritus Teodoro Bacani Jr.
“The Mother Butler Guild (MBG) expresses unconditional solidarity with our bishops: Abp. Socrates B. Villegas, Bp. Pablo Virgilio S. David, Bp. Honesto F. Ongtioco, and Bp. Teodoro C. Bacani, Jr. who are being charged with sedition. All these bishops are Spiritual Directors of our MBG Diocesan Councils. Knowing them as we do, it is beyond us to even imagine how they could possibly incite anyone to sedition,” De Villa said in a statement.
“Our bishops are men of God who manifest to all the primacy of love. They exhaust themselves to care for us and to accompany us in our joys and hope, our pains, and anguish. Their faithfulness in following Christ and continuing His mission to preach and promote, to preserve and defend truth, justice, peace, and the right to life and liberty contribute immensely, not just to strengthen the faith, but also to the well-being of society,” she added.
“We are grateful to God for the gift of our bishops. On our knees, we ask Our Lord to be their wonderful Counselor, their defense against falsehood and evil schemes. We beg the Holy Spirit to rest upon those who have authority for their trial to discharge their duty with wisdom, fairness, and reverence for the truth,” De Villa said.
Established in 1961, the Mother Butler Guild (MBG) has been a member of the Council of the Laity of the Philippines since 1976. It has around 35,000 members from the 86 archdioceses and dioceses around the country. The Council of the Laity, the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines, and the Philippine Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services Incorporated have expressed their support for the accused Church leaders.
