Filipinos to defend Catholic Church, says bishop

TANDAG Bishop Nereo Odchimar, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said Filipino laypeople are ready to defend the faith on crucial issues such as reproductive health.

Bishop Odchimar made the statement in an interview with Vatican Radio in Rome last week.

Nearly 100 Filipino Catholic bishops are visiting Rome in three batches from November 25 this year to March 5 next year for their “ad limina visit.”

The “quinquennial visit ad limina apostolorum” or simply “ad limina visit” refers to the obligation of diocesan bishops to visit every five years the tombs of the Apostles, Saints Peter and Paul.

The bishops also have to meet the pope and report on the state of their dioceses or prelatures.

Bishop Odchimar reportedly spoke with Vatican Radio about priority issues that Catholic bishops are facing in the Philippines.

Reports said the Filipino prelate spoke about Filipino laypeople defending the Catholic faith, which is being attacked in the media, especially on the reproductive health issue.

Report from GMANews.TV