Lay church leaders in Capiz running for office asked to submit courtesy resignation

Capiz Archbishop Victor Bendico has issued a circular calling on lay leaders of parishes and mission stations in the archdiocese who filed Certificates of Candidacy (COC) to submit their courtesy resignations.

"Lay leaders are strongly encouraged to actively participate in politics so they can "permeate and perfect the temporal order of things with the spirit of the Gospel (Canon 225 § 2)." They may actively participate in partisan politics embued with the Christian values and principles," Archbishop Bendico said in a Circular dated the 14th of October, 2024 and address to priests, consecrated people, and the lay faithful.

 "However," the prelate said, "partisan politics directly harms the life of unity in the Church and in particular it will affect the community life of our parish and mission stations."

He underscored that it has been a tradition in the archdiocese that lay leaders who filed COCs "automatically inhibit themselves from their pastoral responsibilities in the parish so that they avoid using their office for political advantage."

The archbishop said that such action is a "laudable gesture of their "sense of delicadeza" and respect for the church."

The lay leaders may return to their respective responsibilities in parishes and mission stations after May 15, 2025 or after the National and Local Elections that will be held on the 12th of May 2025 with the recommendation from parish and mission station priests. — BAP, GMA Integrated News