Catholic church now more understanding of suicides

MANILA, Philippines - The Catholic Church is now more understanding of those who commit suicide, said former Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan Oscar Cruz.

Cruz made this comment hours after former Defense Secretary and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Angelo Reyes took his own life in front of his mother's grave at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City on Tuesday morning.

Previously, no Catholic burials and Masses were celebrated for people who commit suicide.

"But now, the Church is more understanding because in this state of mind that is so confused and depressed, then he is not himself," said Cruz.

The former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) added that "though suicide is still censurable, it is less in gravity than conceived before."

Cruz explained further that people who commit suicide "are not themselves," as presumed with the advancement of psychiatric sciences.

It does not mean that suicide is not censurable. It still is, but is now less in gravity than before, he said.

"People who are no longer in the right senses because of very serious difficulties and big depression, et cetera. Definitely, it will be very hard to say they were themselves when they took their life," Cruz said.

'My heart goes to him'

The archbishop commended Reyes's soul to God, even as he revealed he did not expect Reyes to commit suicide.

"Frankly, [for] one thing, I did not expect this," said Cruz, an outspoken critic of the past and present administrations.

"My heart goes to him. He must have been suffering much from the past days because of what has been revealed nationwide," Cruz added.

Reyes has been in the hot seat for allegedly being involved in the fund mess with former AFP comptroller Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia and the "pabaon" reportedly given to AFP top generals upon retirement.

The archbishop is hoping Reyes' heirs would "be able to return whatever funds, in cash or in kind, that do not belong to the family and it is called restitution."

source: Abs cbn