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They want to shake up the Church.
“Three priests from Iloilo who got married and had kids — Fr. Elmer Cajilig, Fr. Jess Siva, and Fr. Hector Canto — are asking Pope Francis to consider optional celibacy ahead of his pastoral visit to the Philippines on Thursday, January 15,” reports GMA News Online.
The report noted: “Because of the discrimination against their children, the priests — who also baptized their own children on Sunday — encourage others who are in the same situation to come out and push for the optional celibacy.”
Siva, as it turns out, was previously suspended after he got married, but Canto and Cajilig have yet to get a suspension order.
The report pointed out that “the Archdiocese of Iloilo did not give any comment on the issue.”
A Philippine Daily Inquirer report by Nestor P. Burgos Jr. revealed how many kids each priest had.
Siva, 54, has two sons aged 15 and 13.
Canto, 53 had four kids — a baby girl whom he himself baptized and three others aged 7 to 14 years old. Canto made the word, “Opcel” for “optional celibacy” his kids’ second names.
Meanwhile, Cajilig, 53, has three children with his 27-year-old partner.
Siva was quoted as saying, “We have not left our priesthood. We have not changed our religion.”
Photo: MorgueFile
