Archb. Soc orders closure of religious stores
LINGAYEN-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas has ordered the closure of stores selling religious items, images, prayer books, devotional articles, etc. operating in many parishes in the archdiocese.
However, the archdiocese will not impose the rule on stores that submitted their records to the BIR and have secured business licenses from the government as required by law.
This was contained in Circular 2016-6 dated January 12, 2016 addressed to all priests of the archdiocese signed by Villegas.
The circular was an offshoot of the discussion on parishes operating stores for religious books and devotional articles during the clergy meeting last January 8.
In his circular, Villegas noted that there are have been instances when the articles on sale in these religious stores are no longer related to the promotion of religious devotion and catechism.
The archbishop said that this practice has left a mistaken notion among the Catholic faithful that the church is engaging in business and commerce beyond its spiritual mission.
He added that maintenance of religious stores might become a reason for the BIR to examine other collections and fund sources of the Catholic Church.
For this, it was decided in the clergy meeting that “we (Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan) will not open new religious stores and close the ones that are in existence,” Villegas said.
The archbishop stressed that the new policy on religious stores end any perception that the church has business and commercial interests.
“It (closure of religious stores) is a hard climb but we must be wise as serpents and innocents as doves,” he intoned. (Leonardo Micua)
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