CEBU (UCAN): The Archdiocese of Cebu in the Philippines warned people not to be duped by a fake solicitation letter asking them to donate for the upcoming priestly ordination of a seminarian in Cebu.
“Scam alert. If you happen to receive this kind of letter, asking for financial assistance for an ordination, please do not entertain,” said the archdiocese in a Facebook post on September 3.
The notice came after a solicitation letter surfaced on social media asking Catholics to donate to a certain clergyman from the Society of Saint Paul.
The letter, dated August 20, also used the forged signatures of Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu and the soon-to-be-ordained seminarian. It refers to a parish called St. Gregory the Great in Ginatilan municipality in Cebu province.
“It is with great joy and thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father to announce that one of my scholar-seminarians will be ordained for the Sacred Order of Presbyters… In view of this may I ask for prayers and knock at your generous hearts to help him defray the cost for his ordination expenses [eg. Chalice, Vestments, etc.],” the letter read.
“For donations, it may be directed to my scholar thru his Gcash Account… Kindly provide proof of donation for proper acknowledgment. Any amount coming from the heart generously given is surely of big help,” it added.
The archdiocese confirmed that the seminarian mentioned in the letter was not soliciting funds for his ordination and that Archbishop Palma’s signature was forged.
“The letter is a scam. The person mentioned is not soliciting for any ordination whatsoever. The signatures of both the seminarian and the archbishop were also forged,” the archdiocese added.
Several parishioners have reportedly fallen into the trap by depositing at least 3,000 pesos [$413] each.
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“I’ve been supporting the Archdiocese of Cebu by giving donations to parishes, especially to priests’ projects. This time the fake letter was forwarded by a religious sister, so I believed it to be true,” Emma Reyes, a Cebu parishioner, said.
“Someone even sent me a text message thanking me and confirming that the recipient has already received the amount. I didn’t expect it was a hoax. People responsible for this should be brought to justice,” Reyes added.
A priest from Cebu whose signature also appeared in the letter said candidates for the priesthood would not resort to a public appeal for their ordination.
“Seminarians to be ordained in our archdiocese do not write open solicitation letters. Before asking the public for help we would tap their families and relatives first. So, it is impossible to solicit from strangers,” Father Silvino Figues, Jr. explained in an interview with Radio Veritas.
Fake solicitation letters for donations to the Catholic Church are common in the Philippines.
In 2020, the Apostolic Nunciature in Manila urged people not to fall for scams asking for donations for former papal nuncio, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, who is now the Vatican’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations.
Monsignor Julien Kabore, the chargé d’affaires, said that the nunciature uncovered an attempt “to swindle” the public by “fraudulently” using the name of Archbishop Caccia.
In 2021, the Diocese of Baguio cautioned parishioners not to respond to text messages illegally collecting money for a supposed relief project.
“We did not ask for any help for fundraising for a relief operation for the indigents in the northern lands,” Bishop Victor Bendico of Baguio, said.
