Second chance for priests after ‘spiritual reform’
By Bernadette Parco
Cebu Daily News
First Posted 11:35:00 01/31/2008
CBEU CITY, Philippines - Two Cebu diocesan priests who were involved in separate sexual misconduct cases in the past will resume their duties together in a different parish.
Fr. Oscar Ornopia and Fr. Joey Belciña are part of a new six-member team ministry in Minglanilla town.
Before returning to active duty, both priests “underwent a process of spirituality,” according to Msgr. Esteban Binghay, episcopal vicar.
“They graduated from the school of spirituality in Tumalog, Oslob, under Fr. Cris Mendez.”
He was referring to a retreat house in south Cebu where the archdiocese sends priests in crisis for intense counseling.
The new posting was part of a reshuffle affecting 59 parishes in Cebu ordered recently by Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal.
Binghay said priests who made mistakes should be given a second chance.
“They have committed errors because they are just human beings. If God gives us another chance, Cardinal Vidal also gives the priests another chance,” he said.
Binghay said the reassignment is not part of the protocol of the Church. “This is the Cardinal’s charisma. He doesn’t want to lose any vocation (to the priesthood).”
By protocol Binghay was referring to guidelines laid down by Philippine bishops on how to handle cases of sexual abuse and misconduct by the clergy.
The “protocol” outlines the pastoral care of victims and offenders, which includes counselling for priests and reaching out to victims of absues.
It includes sanctions ranging from suspension of priestly roles to defrocking.
Msgr. Binghay, a canon lawyer, said that if guidelines were strictly followed, both priests would have been defrocked.
“In the church, only one child and you’re out,” he said.
In 2003, Fr. Ornopia admitted to churchgoers in barangay Talamban, Cebu City that he violated his vow of celibacy and sired two children. He said he was supporting his family in secret.
After that public confession, Ornopia was not given a parish assignment and kept a low profile.
Fr. Belciña was charged with child abuse in his parish in Danao City until the female complainant, who was 17 when she filed a rape case, withdrew her case last year.
The priest denied any rape took place but later made a non-specific public apology during a Mass in Danao city as part of the terms of an agreement with the victim’s family.
He was removed from his parish assignment and kept on floating status before he underwent the counseling program for priests in Oslob town.
The members of the new team ministry at the Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Minglanilla town are Msgr. Binghay, Ornopia, Belciña, Fr. Scipio Deligero as Moderator; Fr. Ladislao Tangente, Fr. Oscar Banzon and Fr. Hernani Bercide.
Msgr. Binghay said Cardinal Vidal had decided, in the last round of reshuffling of assignments, to send several priests to serve in one parish.
“Secular priests like us usually live alone in the parish. If there are needs that arise, there is no one we can count on,” Binghay said.
“Priests need a community life. Priests should help each other and not abandon each other.”
Binghay said that in the case of Fr. Ornopio, supporting his children was a duty.
“He’s already admitted (having offspring. He has to support the children. That is his responsibility,” said Binghay.
When asked how the people of Minglanilla would react to the assignment of the two priests, Binghay said he was optimistic they would be welcomed.
“I will tell the people to accept God’s gift to them. We hope for the better. We pray that this company will respond to the will of God for them in Minglanila,” said the episcopal vicar.
To the parishioners, he said the move would be a test of their faith: “We should not look at the external. We should look deeper,” he said.
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