The deafening silence of the church on the sex video scandal

The deafening silence of the church on the sex video scandal

The sex video scandal of Dr. Hayden Kho and Katrina Halili is like a wild virus. It has traumatized the families of the victims and it has demoralized many women especially the young ones. The extent of the impact of the scandal is undeniably strong that it has become a favorite topic in coffee shops, beauty parlors, market place, and many other public places. All are practically mouthing their views about this scandal. But there is one sector which I haven’t heard saying its views: the Catholic Church.

The church seems to be stunned at the ferocity of this sex video scandal. However, if the church remains silent about this scandal, I would say that it would lose its moral authority to speak on issues about corruption and dishonesty in the government. I do not question the church’s handling of moral issues against the government. I only raise now the issue of the church’s deafening silence about this sex video scandal. The church is in danger to lose its moral credibility in speaking out on political issues if it turns away from or is afraid to look at the moral issue of this scandal. By being silent, the church damages its reputation as a moral authority.

I venture to say that Katrina is no different from Lozada. Both are victims of wickedness and dishonesty. If Lozada enjoys the protection of the nuns and priests why not extend the same courtesy to Katrina? If the church sides the truth in Lozada’s case, is there no truth to be unearthed from Katrina’s case? If the case of Lozada is not only legal but a moral one, is this not also the same in the case of Katrina?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines Scandal as: “… an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor's tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense. Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized.”

The sex video of Hayden and Katrina is definitely a scandal. It breaks the teachings of the church; it is sacrilegious, intolerant, and wrong. The church should not be voiceless when such scandal contravenes its moral teachings. The church- its hierarchy and laity- should affirm that it is a moral authority to reckon with by not being silent about this sex video scandal.