"When Faith Must Not Be Used as a Tool by some Interests"
In the encyclical Mit Brennender Sorge, Pope Pius XI warned against the dangers of distorting religion to serve political ends. Though written in response to the totalitarianism of the 1930s, its warning remains relevant today:
“He who distorts religious truth to serve his own interests corrupts the faith and abuses the trust of the people.”
This is precisely the danger people face when seeing the Holy Mass being misrepresented as a rallying point for the political rehabilitation of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Recently, the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro had to issue a formal clarification in response to claims that the Cathedral was holding a special daily Mass for Duterte’s health and return to the Philippines. This assertion was false, but it raises a deeper question: how did the Eucharist—a sacrament of unity, mercy, and divine love—become associated with a figure who once called God “stupid” and waged a war on human dignity?
Faith Cannot Be Used as a Political Shield
Duterte has a long history of antagonism toward the Church. He has mocked priests, bishops, and even the very idea of God. He publicly called God “stupid,” insulted the Virgin Mary, and dismissed Catholic doctrines as foolishness. He even incited violence against clergy members, once telling his followers that they should “rob and kill” bishops.
Yet, today, people see his supporters invoking the Church’s name, using Mass attendance as a political spectacle. While the Holy Mass is indeed for all, it is not an instrument for political propaganda. The Lord Himself made it clear:
“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples” (Isaiah 56:7).
It is not a stage for political rehabilitation. It is not a rally ground for those seeking to evade accountability.
The Mass is the central act of worship in the Catholic faith. It is where the faithful encounter the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. To use it as a tool for political manipulation is to profane what is sacred. St. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 11:27:
“Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.”
False Devotion is Not Repentance
Some may argue that those who now seek the Church’s blessings are merely returning to the faith. But true repentance requires humility, not public displays of religiosity for political survival. The prodigal son did not demand that his father’s house celebrate him while he still wallowed in his pride—he returned in genuine humility (Luke 15:18-19).
Genuine reconciliation with the Church does not begin with public relations stunts. It begins with an acknowledgment of past wrongs and a sincere effort to make amends. Duterte’s administration is responsible for thousands of deaths in a bloody drug war that often targeted the poor while sparing the powerful. Until there is real accountability for these actions, the attempt to drape his image in the Church’s sacred garments remains an insult to the Gospel itself.
Pope Pius XI’s Mit Brennender Sorge also warned against leaders who co-opt religious language while violating its deepest moral imperatives:
“None but superficial minds can stumble into error on the score of the difference between genuine religious faith and the counterfeit coinage of religious semblance. He who seeks to separate faith from morality abuses religion.”
A person who once dismissed the faith as useless cannot suddenly claim its protection when convenient. Faith is not a tool to be picked up when needed and discarded when it no longer serves one’s interests.
The Church Stands for Truth, Not Power
The Church has always been clear: she prays for all, but she does not endorse wrongdoing. As the encyclical Veritas in Caritate rightly emphasizes, the Church is a mother to all but will not allow herself to be used as a political shield. She stands with the oppressed, the victims of violence, and those who seek justice.
Canon Law (Canon 1368) warns against inciting hatred against the Church, and Duterte’s history of threats against priests falls squarely into this category. His supporters’ sudden appeals to Catholic faith are not signs of spiritual awakening but calculated attempts to rewrite history. The Church must not fall for this deception.
Jesus warned about those who say “Lord, Lord” while refusing to follow His teachings:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
Duterte and his followers may now seek the Church’s presence, but without genuine conversion, their actions remain hollow. The Church cannot be blind to the danger of lending moral credibility to someone whose rule was marked by cruelty, corruption, and contempt for the very faith he now seeks to invoke.
A Call for True Discernment
As the Lenten season reminds us, true faith demands self-examination. The faithful must ask themselves: "Are we being manipulated? Are we allowing the sacred to be reduced to a political tool? Are we upholding the integrity of our faith, or are the people complicit in its distortion?"
bet those who justify will still banner the words peace and reconciliation without addressing the need for justice. Otherwise people, including those from the clergy treat faith as a spiritual matter and disregard the social teaching as a matter of charity.
The Mass belongs to no political figure. It belongs to Christ. Those who seek to exploit it for their own ends must remember that faith is not a shield from judgment—it is a call to accountability. Let this moment serve as a call for greater discernment among the faithful. Who truly upholds the values of the Gospel? Who seeks the good of the people rather than their own interests? Who treats human life with reverence rather than as a disposable commodity? These are the questions one must ask, and the answers will guide toward a future of genuine peace and reconciliation.
May the words of St. Augustine guide those with concern:
“Peace should be your goal; war should only be a necessity.”
And may his wisdom inspire toward true reconciliation and harmony.
May the Church remain steadfast in her mission to proclaim truth, reject falsehood, and ensure that the sacred remains untarnished by the ambitions of this world.