Vatican official's visit not 'diplomatic overtures' to PH vs divorce

Vatican official's visit not 'diplomatic overtures' to PH vs divorce

MANILA, Philippines — Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Holy See's secretary for relations of states, said there were "no diplomatic overtures" from the Vatican to oppose divorce in the Philippines.

Gallagher made the remark in a joint press conference with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo when asked whether there were "overtures" from the Vatican with regard to calls to legislate divorce in the country.

Gallagher was visiting the Philippines until July 6 to meet with local Catholic Church officials nationwide.

Manalo said his visit was a "milestone" in the country's 73 years of diplomatic relations with the Holy See. It was Gallagher's first visit to the Philippines.

"Well, the teaching of the Catholic Church with regard to marriage is very clear, and very well known," he said.

"This, as far as I know, there have been no communications between Rome and the local Catholic Church, certainly 'no diplomatic overtures' to the department or to the [concerned] government," Gallagher said.

"And at the pastoral level, the question is within the competence of the Bishops Conference of the Philippines and the individual bishops," he said in a press briefing.

"We, as the Holy See, we would obviously, encourage Filipino Catholics, particularly leaders to listen to their pastors and to try and offer whatever is the best approach to this but it is essentially a matter for the bishops," he said.

Gallagher said he would also be visiting Mindanao "so it will be probably interesting for me to get some feedback from them on this issue, which I will obviously be attentive to."

"They are meeting in plenary assembly also in the coming days. I would presume, because it is an important issue, that they will be discussing that," Gallagher said.

"So we will look forward to hearing from the bishops on this in a matter which is principally of their concern," he added.

Manalo said he and Gallagher discussed strengthening "our cooperation in various issues where the Philippines and the Holy See make common cause."

The Philippines and the Holy See have also "consistently espoused similar positions on climate change and climate resilience," the Department of Foreign Affairs chief said.

"His Holiness Pope Francis has underscored how these issues affect the most vulnerable, a situation vividly experienced by Filipinos hard-hit by extreme weather conditions brought on by climate change," Manalo said.

Manalo said he and Gallagher also exchanged views on regional and international issues, including developments in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea, Ukraine and Gaza.

"We noted our shared perspective that, amidst the various international challenges and conflicts, the international community must be united in preserving a world where differences are resolved peacefully, on the basis of the rule of international law," he said.

Asked about the Vatican's position on the tensions in the South China Sea, Gallagher, "The position of the Holy See is quite clear, in such circumstances, such situations of conflict whatever they are, that any differences or conflicts are resolved peacefully."

"We would encourage parties in conflict to abide by international law and to pursue that as a way of resolving difficulties and problems with the best interest of all involved," Gallagher said.