A DAY after Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales came out against the holding of Santa-cruzan processions where those who serve as "sagalas" are male homosexuals, several bishops joined in.

Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said he shares the cardinal’s opinion about the need to show respect for the Blessed Virgin Mary, the honoree of this religious activity.

"Bigyan natin ng kaukulang formality ang mga religious activity na ginagawa natin nang sa gayon ay hindi na panggalingan ng criticisms at ng hindi mabuting sentimyento ng mga mamamayan," Lagdameo said.

Last Monday, Rosales expressed annoyance over the participation of gay men dressed up as women in the traditional Santacruzan processions that mark the end of Flores de Mayo, the month-long offering of prayers and flowers, mostly by children, to Mary. He said that while he is not against gays, he cannot abide the insult that gay Santacruzans commit against Mary so he has made it a rule not to say mass in communities where this type of Santacruzan is put up by the people.

Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez, CBCP public affairs committee head, said Rosales was only being true to the Bible teaching that recognizes only the male and female genders and nothing in-between. "Ang ipinahayag ni Cardinal Rosales ay naaayon sa turo ng Simbahan na anything in-between the two sexes ay maituturing na unnatural. Santa-cruzans are religious in spirit kaya tama lang siguro ang sinabi niya."

Pampanga Archbishop Paciano Aniceto reiterated that the Catholic Church is not discriminating against members of the third sex but is only following Scriptures. "I am not judging these people with this kind of gender orientation but this might confuse the people on the proper Christian meaning of sexuality and gender," Aniceto said.

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said that while gay men are normally perceived as immoral, there are also female participants who practice immorality and who do not deserve to be in the procession as well.