Okay, Sorry Then

Should the Catholic Church Apologize to Rizal's Mother?

This is my reaction to this news article...

Okay, Sorry Then, I Won't Do It Again
"On the Uselessness of Issuing Public Apologies"
by aLfie vera mella

To me, an apology is useless. How can the Catholic Church (Catholic leaders? Who will write the apology? Who will represent the entire Catholic Church?) apologize to Rizal or even to his mother when both Rizal and his mother are long dead and gone. To Rizal's living descendants instead? Maybe. But for what purpose?

1) To let the Catholic Church, in general, swallow their pride?
2) To pat the ego of Rizal's living descendants?

To me, issuing of apologies is a very shallow and usually insincere way of admitting one's faults and appeasing the wrath and disgust of the other party.

And in the bigger picture, issuing apologies is not that simple. Because, the apologizer, the moment he issues the apology, is automatically admitting to the fault or even crime--and this is self-incriminating and self-loathing (in a massive scale). On the other hand, those demanding apologies may be seen as simply wanting to see the apologizers derogate and ridicule themselves and the people seeking apologies wanting to elevate his ego and sense of pride. I think, there is no justice in this. The whole issue of apology revolves around revenge and resentment.

I'd rather that issues like this be dealt upn with in a legal way--that, to me, is what is justice is all about. Not just some petty "sorry, I won't do it again."