Blogger and famous tour guide Carlos Celdran is now detained at the Police Community Precinct in Ermita, Manila. During a mass this afternoon, Celdran, wearing a Jose Rizal costume, stood in front of the church with a “DAMASO” sign. He then shouted and called for priests and the church to stop getting involved with politics. Celdran is a well known critic of the Catholic Church for their protest against the RH Bill. Policemen then came in and took him into custody. This was quickly picked up and reported by GMA 7′s Mariz Umali and the support for Celdran has steadily been snowballing. As of this writing, there is a FREE CARLOS CELDRAN Facebook Page with over 800 supporters.
Why was Celdran jailed?
What I find interesting is that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) took a very aggressive stance in this issue. They filed charges against Celdran citing Article 133 of the Revised Penal Code (offending religious feelings). Here’s the exact text as per the news article on GMA News:
“the penalty of arresto mayor in its maximum period to prision correccional in its minimum period shall be imposed upon anyone who, in a place devoted to religious worship or during the celebration of any religious ceremony, shall perform acts notoriously offensive to the feelings of the faithful.”
My Personal Take
I don’t really agree with what Celdran did (going to mass with the intent of disrupting the Eucharist), but I definitely don’t like the idea of a vindictive church. They could have handled this situation much better. I’m fully supporting the movement to have Celdran freed but I also hope that he won’t resort to doing things like these in the future as well. He can definitely protest but throwing a worship service into chaos is a *bit* overboard.
With that said, FREE CARLOS CELDRAN. Join the Facebook Page by clicking the link.
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I’m actually caught in the middle. I also don’t agree with what Carlos did, much more his overly-charged fight against the CBCP for not supporting the controversial RH Bill (I’ve had my fair but civil exchanges with him in Twitter and I admire him for his stand and stance). But I also don’t agree with the Bishops on this “excommunication” and similar verbal barrages I’m hearing and reading.
I love my Catholic Church as much as I love God and Jesus Christ. But what I’m hearing from the Bishops sadden me a lot. So, my feelings and emotions are, well, caught in the middle today
I adhere to the Alinsky school of thought, and I firmly believe that the real action is in the action of the opposition. Carlos set out to point the medieval nature of the Catholic Church, and firmly affirmed that idea through social media.
Given that his tactics were creative and noteworthy (despite the archaic Sec. 133 of the Revised Penal Code), his actions are sure to be the subject of tacticians and community organizers for some time.
Correction: “the real action is in the *reaction* of the opposition.”
Yeah, I agree. Im all for right to freedom of speech and all but what he is doing is also causing a public nuisance. I do think doing it while Mass was going on was overboard.
I like his intentions but the timing was way off. Mass shouldn’t be disturbed like that. I really like the outfit though.
Ditto.
there should indeed be a time and place for anything under the sand…and isn’t it the end can’t justify the means?
I don’t agree with what this guy stands for, but I admire his courage for standing against The Church, although his way of protesting was stupid.
Likewise, I don’t agree with what Celdran did. He could have done better! It’s one thing to oppose an idea, and another to disrupt order (as in the Catholic Mass ritual). I’m not a Catholic, but I don’t want their sect to be treated like that, inasmuch as I don’t want them to do the same to me.
And, re: Alinsky School of Thought, well, we might as well follow the footsteps of America, in terms of amending their government. Oh dear, is Pnoy even aware of that? Obama was pushing his health care program as well. Now he’s appointing Alinsky fans.
to the Church: FREE CARLOS CERDAN.
to Carlos Celdran: PLS DON’T DO THAT AGAIN.
Haha, I loved how you summarized it with your last two lines Shel.
I seriously do hope that more Alinsky adherents stand up and move out.
i agree with carlos celdran in opposing the church’s interferring with government. i like the way he dressed up as jose rizal but he should not disrupt the Mass going on. he should do this outside the church.
the church will divide the faithful with this issue. i understand the stand they have to take but excommunication? come on, then lets have them excommunicate all of us catholics who believe in responsible parenthood and limiting the number of children we want to bring into this world.
how can a church who claims to be for the oppressed now be the opressor with excommunication threats.
He probably just didn’t get control of his emotions. But on the first place, what he did was outrageous.
Carlo is right…we are going back to the history…Matagal ko ng pansin yaan. Kaya no wonder na ang mga insulares at peninsulares ay magbabalik at maghahari sa bansa, at maibabalik ang mga indios na puro hirap ang dadanasin….He he he.At mauuso na rin ang paring rapist….he he he.