PHILIPPINES
Taipei Times
Sunday, Jun 15, 2003,Page 5
A sexual harassment scandal involving a well-loved and highly respected bishop in the Philippines has prompted many in this predominantly Catholic country to question the medieval vow of celibacy among priests.
With the current controversy only the latest in a long string of scandals involving heterosexual and homosexual encounters, Filipinos are now asking: Is it about time for the Church to allow clergymen to get married and indulge in sex?
Analysts warned that more scandals would crop up in the future unless the Catholic Church starts to re-examine "archaic and anachronistic prohibitions" that merely encourage "the cover up of breaches of the vow."
"Breaches of the vow of celibacy are not new," noted political analyst Alex Magno. "Spanish priests, during the colonial period, spread their wild oats throughout the islands."
