Poorly handled by the Archbishop? What do you say?

in the book of Acts one Simon wanted to pay money for the gift of
the holy spirit.  When Jesus healed the Pharisees' were skeptical, many folks got the "wrong idea".  

Link: http://services.inquirer.net/print/print.php?article_id=116406

Archbishop bans Suarez’s healing sessions in Pangasinan


By Gabriel Cardinoza
Northern Luzon Bureau

Posted date: February 02, 2008

DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan -- Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz on Saturday said he will stop Fr. Fernando Suarez, known in the country as the “healing priest,” the next time he visits Pangasinan and tries to conduct healing masses in his archdiocese.

Cruz, whose archdiocese covers 26 parishes in central Pangasinan, said too many questions hound Suarez’s “miraculous healing.”

Suarez was at the St. Therese Parish here on December 28 for a “very special day of prayer and healing.”

Cruz said that healing mass was held without his permission.

The Catholic Church’s Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith requires a local bishop’s permission for Church-related activities conducted by those who do not belong to the diocese. Suarez is a member of the Canada-based religious congregation called Companions of the Cross.

“There’s no problem that some people are gifted to cure as practically all saints have done this during their lives,” Cruz said.

But he said with Suarez’s popularity now, his healing masses are “open to abuses, like superstition, hysteria, fanaticism, and money.”

“There is already a question of hysteria, not to mention credulity [among the people],” Cruz said. “It is too much to say that Father Suarez resurrects the dead.”

Cruz said only Jesus Christ can raise people from the dead and “it’s not even all over.”

Jesus Christ, he said, brought to life only Lazarus and the son of a widow.

“Wala pang santo na bumuhay ng patay (No saint has ever brought back someone from the dead),” Cruz said.

“But the biggest question is the money. He is selling rosaries and other religious articles that have healing powers kuno (supposedly),” he said.

Cruz said even in Canada, the bishop of the diocese where Suarez belongs had banned Suarez from holding healing masses because of the sale of religious articles supposedly with healing powers.

He said solicitation letters have been also circulating for the construction of Suarez’s healing center in Batangas.

According to reports, the Mary Mother of the Poor Foundation, which Suarez heads, is building the Montemaria shrine in Batangas City. The centerpiece is the 33-story-high statue of Mary Mother of the Poor.

Cruz said Suarez is banned from holding healing masses in his archdiocese on a “case to case” basis. He said the ban is not an issue within the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

He said Suarez could hold healing Masses freely in Metro Manila and Batangas because the bishops there allowed him to do so.

“They believe in him. And that’s okay,” he said.

Malolos (Bulacan) Bishop Jose Oliveros had earlier complained that Suarez’s healing activities were conducted without his permission.

But Cruz said he wished Suarez well.

“I hope he really cures -- and I want that very clear -- and cures as many [sick people] as possible, especially in this country where medicines, seeing a doctor, and hospitalization are very expensive,” he said.

Peace