Friday, August 16, 2019
19th Week in
Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Jos 24:1-13
Gospel: Matthew 19:3-12
Some Pharisees approached him. They wanted to test him and asked, “Is a man allowed to divorce his wife for any reason he wants?”
Jesus replied, “Have you not read that in the beginning the Creator made them male and female, and he said: Man has now to leave father and mother, and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one body? So they are no longer two but one body; let no one separate what God has joined.”
They asked him, “Then, why did Moses command us to write a bill of dismissal in order to divorce?” Jesus replied, “Moses knew your stubborn heart, so he allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not so in the beginning. Therefore I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, unless it be for infidelity, and marries another, commits adultery.” (…)
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
A substitute Bill has been submitted in 2018 virtually consolidating the many proposed laws introducing divorce in the Philippines. Substitute Bill No. 7303 entitled “An Act instituting Absolute Divorce and Dissolution of Marriage in the Philippines” has practically converted all grounds for annulment, declaration of nullity of marriage, and legal separation as laid down in the Family Code to the level to grounds for absolute divorce. Since there are just so many grounds, making it practically easy to find reasons to nullify a valid marriage, let us just discuss the five grounds which Gabriella had introduced earlier in the 14th Congress.
During the 14th Congress, Gabriela Women’s Party Representatives filed a Bill proposing five grounds for divorce, namely: (1) separation in fact for five years and legal separation for two years; (2) psychological incapacity; (3) irreconcilable differences; (4) marital violence, and; (5) irreparable breakdown of marriage.
Let us briefly evaluate each.
In regard to psychological incapacity, it helps to remind ourselves that both the Catholic Church and the Government already consider marriage entered into under this circumstance as void from the start. Separation de facto for five years subjects marriage to the caprice of couples because all they have to do is to separate from each other, wait for five years, and file a petition for divorce. As to marital violence men can very well defend themselves while women have ample laws to invoke such as R.A. 9262. As to irreconcilable differences, the best solution is seriousness in the engagement stage. A law imposing 7-year mandatory engagement stage should be passed instead.
To Jesus, divorce sounds too immoral to be given first base (Matthew 19:3-12). – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.
May comment ka ba sa column ni Father Dan? May tanong ka ba sa kanya? I-type ang BANDERA REACT
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Bandera. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.