EDITORIAL - From sorry incidents come good lessons

There was nothing wrong in the BOPK candidates hearing Mass at the San Pedro Calungsod Chapel at SRP last Monday. In fact, the BOPK should be emulated by other candidates who ought to hear Mass as well, or whatever religious rite it is that may be appropriate in accordance with their circumstances, before they start pounding on the campaign trail.

What went wrong came after the Mass, when BOPK candidate for mayor Tomas Osmeña grabbed a microphone and started calling out his party's candidates and gathered them all in front of the altar for a photo op. And, with arms raised, there was no mistaking what the photos showed. What started as a religious activity turned into a political rally of sorts.

The Archdiocese of Cebu was naturally incensed, although it took great care that its words of rebuke and censure were coated in gentle and polite reminder. It was well that it did, because in truth, the Catholic Church came actually late in spelling out what was allowed and what was not inside churches. Not that politicians seeking leadership positions really need to be reminded about appropriate manners.

In fairness to Osmeña and the BOPK, it was clear there was no intention to disrespect religious sensitivities. We do not believe they really planned to have a photo op that resembled a rally in front of the altar. It might be said of them that they were perhaps simply carried away by the enthusiasm of the moment. Besides, Osmeña quickly apologized for the incident.

The Catholic Church quickly said the incident offered lessons to be learned. Amen, we say to that. But the greater lesson to be learned should be learned by the Church itself -- that it cannot simply stand back and trust in the good sense of politicians to know where opportunities to be seized end and where respect for certain sensitivities begins.

What happened last Monday was that the Catholic Church failed to foresee how a gathering of politicians may turn eventually. Told that the BOPK would hear Mass at the chapel, it limited its view to what it had been told. It failed to take into consideration that a gathering of politicians is like a globule of mercury that can go anywhere it pleases, in whatever shape it takes.

In other words, it simply failed to take the simple extra step of reminding how the Mass participants were expected to behave in the house of God. As a result, the unfortunate incident happened. But as had been said, it was a cause for some lessons to be learned, both by the Church itself, and for all politicians who may have a mind to ask for divine intervention in their worldly aspirations.