Bishop-elect Florencio: Sex change unnecessary

PALO, LEYTE, Philippines – Bishop-elect Oscar Jaime Florencio had declared that it is wrong for people of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) group to resort to physical sex change.

“It is clear as part of the teachings of the Church that changes or mutilation done in one’s body is like putting themselves as gods,” said Florencio, a formator in the Archdiocese of Palo and former rector of the St. John the Evangelist School of Theology.

The public however should not be too fast in discriminating the LGBTs, but should consider instead what pushes them into having a physical change in their gender, said the bishop-elect.

Florencio said: “If we will have to answer and we see there is a big (economic) gap between persons around us and it is not necessary or it is just a caprice, then we have to ask: ‘What is the problem?’”

Florencio was also emphatic on the need to analyze the underpinning factor leading one person to resort to sex change. “We have to ask ourselves in our Philippine setting: ‘Is it really necessary?’”

Earlier on, the Archdiocese of Palo, through its spokesman, Father Chris Arthur Militante, conveyed its stand on people of the LGBT group.

The church, according to Militante, does not discriminate and instead welcome those who consider themselves belonging to this group, although the Church has been constant and resolute in not welcoming the existence of this kind of people.

Militante explained that the Book of Genesis of the Bible has been clear that God only created Adam, a man, and Eve, a woman, and no in-between gender.

Florencio and Militante have been one in putting forth the Church position on the existence of LGBT individuals, who however need counseling instead.

Meanwhile, Florencio is set to welcome Papal Nuncio Guiseppe Pinto for the former’s episcopal consecration on September 4 at the Palo Cathedral.

Former Palo Archbishop and now Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma and incumbent Palo Archbishop John Du will join the Nuncio as consecrator.

Following Florencio’s episcopal consecration, he will be installed as auxiliary bishop of Cebu.