Monday, March 26, 2007

Three nuns have been photographed playing slot machines and blackjack at a
gaming fair in Manila, Philippines, embarrassing Roman Catholic bishops. The
church holds a firm stance against gambling of all forms and has announced
that it will launch an inquiry and says that the nuns could face
implications if they are found to have sinned. Archbishop Oscar Cruz has
ordered an investigation to go ahead and will take "steps on the sisters'
actions." Archbishop Cruz said the church strictly forbids people of the
cloth from gambling and recently defrocked a parish priest for gambling in a
casino. The photographs of the nuns gambling at the Gaming Exposition in
Manila were broadcast on television, with Cruz describing their actions as
"shameful". However, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation spokesman
Edward King dismissed the incident, merely describing it as "innocent". He
claims the nuns "played without money" and denied the nuns were tricked into
playing.