KAILANGAN BANG MAGDASAL SA REBULTO? By Prof. Ramon Gitamondoc

May nabasa ako ngayong gabi lang. Galing ito sa Radical Disciple Missionary group. Sabi doon hindi raw turo ng simbahan ang magdasal sa harap ng rebulto. (Ang ampo sa bisaya ay pagdarasal). Nalito lang ako sa sagot kasi parang oo o hindi. Ilalagay ko dito yong post na yon para di ako magkamali sa aking sasabihin. Cebuano nga lang ang lenggwahe. Subukan ko itranslate para sa inyo

Jery Zate Roa 

Ito yung nakasulat sa link translated in Filipino:

Tanong: “Bawal magdasal sa mga rebulto at mga larawan mabasa yan sa Exodus 20:4 itong verse sinulat mismo sa mga turo ng Dios”? Galing kay Bro Richard Cuaresma Capin. 
Sagot: Bro Richard tama ka na hindi talaga tayo magdasal sa larawan o rebulto at yan din ang aming doctrina (sa aking pagka intindi ibig niyang sabihin na ang pagdarasal sa harap ng rebulto ay hindi para sa rebulto per see kundi sa kinakatawan ng rebulto) iyang sitas na iyong sinasabi sa exo 20:4 iyan ay sinusunod din namin, ito ang aming turo…“ We do not worship the images of saints but we only show reverence or veneration what is due to them.” (My Catholic Faith Pg. 194-195) So, dito malinaw na hindi talaga kami sumasamba sa larawan o rebulto Bro Richard kundi nirerespeto lang namin ang mga ito kahit si Josue nagdasal sa Panginoon nakaharap sa Arc of Covenant kun saan mayroong mga larawan o rebulto ng anghel. (Exo.25:22-25, Jos.7:6) Sinamba ba o nagdasal ba siya sa larawan ng Anghel? Hindi, pinakita lang niya ang respeto o nag venerate dahil ang mga banal na larawan sumisimbolo ng Presensiya ng Dios.( Heb.9:5)..para sa akin bro noh ang iyong pag iisip tungkol dito ay katulad ng turo ng Katoliko. Hindi malayo ang iyong pag iisip sa turo ng Katoliko.

Ramon Gitamondoc 

I think there is nothing wrong in this answer. When the writer says “di gayod kita mag-ampo sa larawan o rebulto” it means in English that we are not praying to the image.” The writer is in fact correcting the misconception by Protestants that we Catholics are praying to the images which is not actually the case. We pray before the images of the saints but we do not pray to their images. By the way, I understand this answer which is written in the Visayan dialect since this is also my native language.

Chiz Selaznog says: //Hindi naman talaga tinuro na magdasal sa harap ng rebulto.//

My comment: Again we should be careful with the language we used in expressing Church doctrine. If this statement is meant in the absolute sense then it is correct for it is not absolutely necessary that we should pray before a sacred image every time we pray. However, at least for the majority of the faithful, praying before an image is necessary in the relative sense as it facilitates the lifting of our hearts and minds to God in prayer. This is why in her teaching regarding the proprietary use of images in worship the Church declares through the Council of Trent against the reformers: The images of Christ and of his Virgin Mother and of the saints are TO BE HAD AND RETAINED ESPECIALLY IN CHURCHES… so that by the images which we kiss and before which we bow our heads and kneel, we adore Christ and venerate his saints, whose likenesses they represent.” Furthermore, while it is true that the Church, at least officially, did not enumerate all the practices of devotion and veneration which Catholics should do the same cannot be said regarding the use of sacred images in worship since this has been already a subject of the Church’s official teaching. Also, another difference is that while adorning the altar with flowers, lighting candles in the cemetery and the praying of the Senacle varies from place to place and according to the times, the use of images is universally practiced from the earliest days of Christianity and as we know has its roots back in the Old Testament.