PHILIPPINES
Asia Sentinel
Written by Aries C. Rufo
TUESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2013
The following excerpt is from “Altar of Secrets: Sex, Politics and Money in the Philippine Catholic Church” by Aries C. Rufo, a prize-winning Filipino journalist. The book deals with long-festering problems in the Philippine Church. We present a companion review nearby here.
Tucked somewhere in Metro Manila is a gated orphanage run by nuns. Lush trees and greenery cover the sprawling area, providing a fresh respite from the urban jungle just outside its premises. At the time of my visit in August 2012, a few workers were repairing some of the structures and buildings, while volunteer staff did the laundry and the cooking.
But this is no ordinary orphanage. It was (or still might be) home to some of the children fathered by Catholic priests. The sister in charge confirmed that they had housed children whose fathers were priests. “We accept the children regardless of who their fathers are,” the sister said. But she clarified, “We have no children sired by priests right now.”
She spoke these words normally, as if answering an ordinary question. After all, an orphanage is an orphanage, a refuge of infants and children seen as a burden or shame by their fathers and/or mothers.
Inside the orphanage, the nun led us to a newly constructed one-storey building that served as the nursery for newborns. They also had a nursery school. She said it was by the grace of God that they were able to take care of the children before they were sent to their foster parents.
Pressed to confirm reports that the orphanage served as a halfway house for women impregnated by priests, the soft-spoken nun said it was not the issue. “The issue is to give these children a decent future
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