Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Maambong requests Church to reexamine vow of celibacy
Amid the controversy that the Catholic Church is facing, a Capitol legislator is calling on the church to reexamine the vow of celibacy and to “accordingly afford priests the freedom to marry.”
However, finding the issue very sensitive, the Cebu Provincial Board (PB) yesterday opted to defer the discussion of the resolution that PB Member Victor Maambong drafted.
PB Member Antonio Almirante said the resolution needs to be thoroughly studied. He is also not certain if the board has the capacity to urge such a huge organization like the church.
Fr. Jose Belciña of the St. Francis de Assisi Parish in Maslog, Danao City is the latest priest involved in sexual controversies after he was accused of raping three times an 18-year-old parishioner.
Rev. Fr. Froilan Bejoc has replaced Belciña, as parishioners continue to rally to show support for their parish priest.
“For years now, the Church has been rocked by numerous sexual scandals that have weakened the organization,” Maambong said in his resolution.
Scandals
Priests were also involved in sexual affairs, with some even bearing children.
In 2003, it was reported that Fr. Oscar Ornopia, former priest of San Isidro Labrador Parish in Talamban, sired two children, aged 11 and six, and that his having children and a mistress was common knowledge among other priests and parishioners.
Also in 2003, Fr. Loreto Jumao-as, former parish priest of St. James the Apostle parish in Compostela, Cebu was accused of sexual abuse.
Manila Bishops Teodoro Bacani and Crisostomo Yalung were also accused of sex abuse and immorality in the past years.
The Roman Catholic Church prohibits priests from marrying because of the vow of celibacy that priests have to make before entering the ministry.
Because of the sexual scandals hounding the Catholic Church, Maambong sees the “need to reexamine the wisdom and present applicability of the bow of celibacy because it undermines the basic sexual need of man.”
“This ban of marrying has no biblical support. As such, the same may be reconsidered and ordered set aside,” Maambong added. (MBG)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 21, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
