Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David has asked the public to pray for President Rodrigo Duterte, whom he described as a “very sick man.”
“Please remember, Jesus taught us to be merciful when dealing with sick people,” the bishop said in a Facebook post.
“I think it should [be] obvious to people by now that our country is being led by a very sick man. We pray for him. We pray for our country,” he added.
Bishop David was reacting to a comment made by the President where he mocked the Catholic celebration of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
Duterte mocks Filipinos’ celebration of All Saints Day
“Happy All Saints’…Bakit naman…tarantado talaga itong mga Katoliko ang puta, bakit ba may All Souls’ Day at All Saints’ Day?” Duterte said during a conference last month.
“Hindi natin alam kung sino mga santo na ‘yun. Mga gago na iyon, mga lasenggo. Dito na lang kayo. I’ll give you a patron. Get hold of a picture of mine, iyan lagay ninyo sa altar, Santo Rodrigo,” he said.
Despite the President’s mocking, the bishop said calling saints as fools and drunkards are “nothing new.” He said even Jesus was called a “glutton and a drunkard.”
“There’s nothing new about our saints being called ‘fools and drunkards.’ St. John the Baptist was even called ‘devil-possessed.’ Jesus himself was called a ‘glutton and a drunkard,’ a ‘friend of tax collectors’ and sinners,” David said.
“The apostles at Pentecost were also called ‘drunkards.’ To be a Christian is to be ready to be branded as a fool for Christ,” he added.