Philippine bishop: No Catholic burial for governor who was Freemason

24-05-2010

A Philippine bishop has denied a Catholic burial to Governor Rafael Nantes of Quezon, who died in a helicopter crash on May 17. The governor was a Freemason, as well as a born-again Christian.

"There is no politics in the decision of the Church. I just implemented the Church laws," said Bishop Emilio Marquez of Lucena (Quezon's capital), who said there would be no Catholic funeral Mass "unless some signs of repentance before death had been shown."

"The local Catholic Church in the Diocese of Lucena mourns with the people of Quezon," he added. "The fact is we sent our condolences to the family of Governor Nantes immediately after we received the sad news of his tragic death."

"We did not in any way forbid prayers for the eternal repose of his soul."

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=6418