Tuesday, May 06, 2008 Bishop opposes gays’ involvement in Santacruzan
MANILA Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales said gays should not be allowed to participate in the traditional Santacruzan or Flores de Mayo since it defeats the true meaning of the procession.
“Instead of giving honor to the Blessed Virgin Mary, you are destroying the devotion by having gays there instead of women. As a result it becomes a laughingstock to many,” said Rosales.
He said before he was appointed as cardinal, he does not give blessing to any parish or chapel that allows gays to join the procession, noting that their participation loses the sanctity of the celebration.
Rosales’ comment was sought since it is during this month of May that the country observes the Flores de Mayo festival. The highlight of the festival is Santacruzan featuring beautifully dressed young women.
Rosales also once called the attention of a fiesta organizer for having gays in the procession.
“I told them that’s not right because that’s a procession. You are destroying the purity of the devotion,” he said.
Because of the incident, Rosales said: “I came out with a circular adding that any parish or chapel that will hold a procession in honor of the Virgin Mary that will use gays in their procession, will not be allowed to have a mass”.
While stressing that he is not against gays or discriminating homosexuals, Rosales explained that his motive is merely to keep the “sacredness” of the procession.
“We should keep sacred what is sacred,” the prelate added.
At the same time, he urged those barangays who would like to have gays to instead organize a parade and not a procession.
“The procession is religious. What the baranggay can do is organize a parade. It cannot be a santacruzan because you have the Blessed Mother there. That’s horrendous. I don’t know how to put it. That’s an insult to the Blessed Mother,” he declared.
It has been part of the entertainment in the Philippines to feature gays at Flores de Mayo as it attracts tourists since most of the gay participants tried their best to look best and some even resemble popular local actresses. (MSN/FP/Sunnex)
