With a growing number of people trying to eat and drink their way out of the stresses of modern life, Filipino prelates call on Catholics to follow a "responsible diet" and become "good stewards" of their own body. They also slam the "exercise in vanity" that comes with cosmetic surgery and performance-enhancing drugs in sport.

Manila (AsiaNews/CBCP) - In view of the rising number of people who try to relieve the stress of modern life in food and alcohol, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) issued a statement urging the faithful to change their lifestyle, giving priority to health and physical and mental wellbeing.

Speaking out at Easter, the bishops warn their flock about the sins of gluttony, which often end up irreparably damaging the body. Yet, at the same time, they note that consuming food and drink in moderation and exercising regularly are key habits that lead to wellness and good health.

"Some of the leading causes of mortality for Filipinos, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, are either caused or aggravated by inordinate consumption of food and drink," said Mgr Socrates Villegas, archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan and president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines. Therefore, "Being responsible with one's diet is one way of being a good steward of one's health".

That is not enough though; "maintaining proper health also requires sufficient rest to allow the body to renew its energy and repair itself," the archbishop said. Indeed, Catholic social doctrine "reminds us that rest from work is a right. Human life has a rhythm of work and rest. Everyone should take care to set aside sufficient time for leisure," the CBCP president explained.

For the bishops, taking care of one's physical body is not "an exercise of vanity," but a "spiritual duty as good stewards of health." In fact, physical bodies "are not simply material vessels for our souls" but "integral and essential aspects of who we are as persons created in the image and likeness of God".

Nevertheless, "The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine." To indulge in such kind of conduct can even lead to disasters or accidents in the air, sea or road.

Catholics should also not pay too much attention to their bodies and physical appearance, Villegas warns. This is especially true for excessive use of cosmetic surgery, unhealthy forms of dieting, and the use of banned substances in sports.

Our shared "Morality rejects the neo-pagan notion that promotes the cult of the body," the CBCP head said, because "it sacrifices everything" on the altar of "physical perfection and success at sports."

For him, "Vanity, idealised body images, and excessive competitiveness can lead people to manipulate their bodies in ways that do not respect the human body's health, integrity, dignity, and intrinsic value".

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