Rich and poor, young and old, everyone is affected by the current economic woes. But there seems to be an institution that is insulated from this crisis.
I was browsing through the Internet, and stumbled across a news article about the plan of a Canada-based Filipino healing priest by the name of Fr. Fernando Suarez to erect the world’s biggest statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the province of Batangas, Philippines. The idea is said to replicate the statue of O Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) that stands atop a very high mountain in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.
The very idea is never repulsive at all. In the first place, the Philippines is predominantly Catholic country. And, in comparison to other Catholic countries, Philippines is very Marian.
However, lately, a senior prelate in the Philippines became apprehensive upon learning of the total cost of the project. It’s said to reach a whooping amount of one billion pesos!!!
As I was shaking my head in this incredulity, I got hold of a Catholic newspaper featuring an estimate of Benedict XVI’s forthcoming visit to Israel. According to the news, President Simon Peres will himself serve as the “national host,” and the Chief Rabbinate the in-charge to everything pertinent to rites or liturgies. But what caught my attention was — again! — the estimate of how much the papal visit would entail. It’s pegged at around ten million US dollars — for a four day visit by “the most senior Christian leader today.”
I have never become very concerned about finances until recently when everyday the number of people losing their jobs around the world is skyrocketing, even institutions — in history and in size — are tumbling down, when the economic figures of all countries are all dismal, and when in all of these developments it is the poor who are to suffer more.
I am made to ask: what is in these persons that exempts them from tightening their belt?
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