Sabi ko na nga ba ipapa-ban ng mga taga-Simbahan ang pelikula ni papa Gael. Here's part of the laundry list why the Church finds this film offensive, with my comments included:

1. A woman feeding a Sacred Host to her cat. The woman was sort of like the village idiot, the town's id who says out loud what everyone is turning a blind eye to. What's actually spookier is this woman's lair-- she collects dismembered dolls and figurines. She mixes and matches them in an attempt to have her own stable of saints' statues. It's like a menagerie of holy Frankensteins.

2. A priest who, while making love to a woman, puts on her the veil of the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary and tells her, "You are more beautiful than the Virgin Mary." Hey, to each her own kink. It was rather weird and disorienting how people's desires work. In this case, Father Amaro was bribed by a very nice veil intended for the Mater Dolorosa. But since he was on his way to a tryst, and the veil was there, and he was dallying with a virgin..Hm. Later, this veil makes an appearance again, when Amelita has gotten herself pregnant and was helplessly praying to the saints for help. Nice juxtaposition of the suffering (non)virgin.

3. The blasphemous confession of a señorita who says that she has sensual thoughts while taking a shower and "thinking of the Lord." As I said, to each her own kink. Father Amaro explained these "thoughts" as not really sinful. Sensuality is not a sin. Although I must admit that it was pretty disconcerting, but there are other things that we should go all hoopla and noisy about.

Monsignor Nico Bautista finds the film "offensive to the Catholic sensibilities." I think the film rendered rather solidly that men of the cloak do sin, and it's only human to do so. It presented the struggles and guilts of these guys as they try to do their jobs. Some fall by the wayside. Two priests, one senior, the other a newbie. Both eventually fell into the same boat--their mistresses are mother and daughter. They are one and the same. The older guy saw nothing wrong with his dalliance with the housekeeper. The younger guy, tired of covering up dirt other guys did before him, chose to do what everyone else was doing. In the end, when he refused to go public with his affair, and one that ended in death, the older guy indicted him by wheeling himself out in the middle of a funeral mass. Father Amaro did not get away scott free. His conscience rages at him, or maybe not.

I don't pretend to know much about Church policy or whatnot. But why is it that when somebody asks a valid question directed to the Church or the clergy, it's always a bad thing? Why can't we pose questions? Why the avoidance of criticism? Or in the very least, what's with the tight arse? It's not a laughing matter, but we are still human. At least have a sense of humor. The metatron will scream at you, and you will not be pleased to hear that.