Malaybalay, Bukidnon bishop barred the “healing priest” Rev. Fr. Fernando Suarez in their dioceses.
Bishop Jose Cabantan joined other bishops in banning Suarez for conducting healing masses in Malaybalay since the latter has no necessary permit.
“We ask their group to secure a ‘celebret’ or an endorsement from his bishop so we can allow him to celebrate Mass and do healing. But we have not received it,” Cabantan said.
A celebret is “a letter which a Roman Catholic bishop or major religious superior gives to a priest in order that the priest may obtain permission in another diocese to say Mass, and for this purpose bears testimony that he is free from canonical censures.”
Cabantan issued a memorandum on October saying urging the clergy and laypeople to be cautious and vigilant about “healing priest” and his group.
“I am calling all the clergy, religious and our lay faithful to be vigilant and cautious about their presence,” the bishop said.
“We may always show them the respect that they deserve as persons and fellow Christians but mindful always of the law of the Church concerning the proper minister of the sacraments.”
Healing priest criticized, only Jesus can do miracles
Aside from Cabantan, other bishops also barred Suarez from holding healing masses in their dioceses for different reasons. Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz disapproved of Suarez’s style, emphasizing only Jesus can perform miracles like raising dead people to life.
The late Bishop Jose Oliveros of the Diocese of Malolos also barred the controversial “healing priest.”
In 2015, Suarez admitted in an interview with “The Bottomline with Boy Abunda” that he had misunderstandings with other bishops and mainly were only turf-related.
In an interview with ABS-CBN’s “The Bottomline with Boy Abunda” in 2015, Suarez admitted that there had been misunderstandings with other bishops, but noted the main issue was only turf-related.
“Kung pepersonalin ko lahat ng ayaw sa akin, baka ma-paralyze ako. Maging bitter ako,” Suarez said.
(If I take personally everyone who doesn’t like me, I might get paralyzed. I will get bitter.)
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