A woman was recently murdered by her husband in Liloan town. But here’s the shocker; she was choked to death in broad daylight, in public, inside a church.
This was what happened in the San Fernando El Rey parish church in Liloan last Friday, October 24.
According to reports, the woman is seen entering the church with her husband. They sit together for a while. When she stands up, he suddenly charges her and pins her against a wall where he chokes her dead. He then flees, leaving her lifeless body behind.
As per canon law, the Cebu Archdiocese said the act desecrated the church and declared it closed until it is restored by canonical reparation rites.
‘I, as the Archbishop of Cebu, decree the temporary closure of the Parish Church of San Fernando Rey, Liloan. All public acts of divine worship are to be suspended until proper canonical procedures are completed to ensure the reparation of the desecration and the restoration of the church’s dignity as a house of prayer and peace,’ said Cebu Archbishop Alberto Uy.
Is there no such thing as holy ground for some people anymore? Does being in the presence of the Lord no longer deter some from killing someone else?
Thankfully, this is an isolated case. We realize incidents like these are extremely rare.
It’s not every day that a church is considered desecrated. We remember some years back an altar had to be reconsecrated after electoral campaign materials were placed on it and blessed by a priest with an obvious agenda. Some decades back, a church had to be blessed again after a psychotic vagrant entered and attacked a priest in the middle of a Mass.
In this instance, it wasn’t just the woman who suffered, but also those who need the comfort offered by prayer.
Of course, this isn’t just about acts committed in a church or acts committed in public either. Violence against women, no matter where it happens, should never be condoned.