Church Orders Investigation of Three Nuns Seen Playing at Casino

Three Roman Catholic Nuns have been photographed by the media playing slot machines and blackjack at a recent gaming fair in Manila, Philippines from March 21st through March 23rd, 2007, embarrassing the leading Roman Catholic Bishops in the country.

The Roman Catholic Church holds a firm stance against gambling in any form and they have announced that they will be conducting an investigation of the matter. The nuns could face some sanctions if the investigation finds that they have sinned.

Catholic Archbishop Oscar Cruz has ordered the investigation to proceed and will take the necessary steps regarding the sisters' actions. Archbishop Cruz commented that the church strictly prohibits religious people from taking part in any gambling activity. One example of the church's strictness regarding the gambling issue is by defrocking a priest who has gambled in a casino.

Nonetheless, Edward King, the Spokesman of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation has dismissed it as a mere incident and that the sisters' had no malicious intentions in playing slotsplaying slots at the casino. He also said that the nuns played without any cash and neither was tricked into playing.

Monday, 02 April 2007
Darren G. Strachan