TACLOBAN CITY- Unlike in other churches in the country, the Archdiocese of Palo in Leyte has no plan yet to remove the arancel system or asking fee for particular sacraments like funeral or blessings.
This was disclosed by Father Chris Arthur Militante, spokesperson of the archdiocese of Palo.
Militante said that the Archdiocese, which covers the entire province of Leyte and with suffragan dioceses of Naval, Catarman, Borongan, and Calbayog, is not yet financially capable to remove the system.
According to him, the money generated by the archdiocese out of the collection from the arancel are used to help run and maintain the operation of the churches and for the faithful who are in need.
Some churches in the country has removed the arancel system like those in diocese of Balanga in Bataan and the archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan.
“While we are open to that, the Archdiocese of Palo, to include its suffaragans, are not yet ready to remove the arancel system,” Militante said.
“We don’t see it as a payment but as a form of support (from the faithful). How can we help the Church and our brothers if we don’t have the funds? That is why, we are thankful that we still have this arancel system,” the spokesperson of the archdiocese added.
The Archdiocese of Palo is headed by Archbishop John Du who is also the treasurer of the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
Militante, however, could not say as to how much the archdiocese earns out of the arancel system.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
