Ink’s okay! Church workers can have tattoos, piercings, say netizens

MANILA, Philippines – Should church servers be allowed to have visible tattoos and body piercings? 

A new regulation signed by Pope Francis bans workers at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican from having such body decorations, citing the need to maintain “decorum.”

According to a report by the Catholic News Agency, the Office of the Holy See released a chirograph from Pope Francis on the Statute and Regulations of the Chapter of St. Peter’s Basilica on June 29, which states that employees at the Papal Basilica must “take care of their outward appearance in accordance with the demands and customs of the work environment.”

For some netizens, people must not be stopped from serving in the church just because of their tattoos and piercings, given that these are not profane.

Rex and Michelle, members of the faith chat room of the Rappler Communities app, point out that the rule could be discriminatory, as tattoos and piercings do not define a person’s faith or work ethic.

Why do some Catholics dislike these forms of modifications? For Wes, another user in the faith chat room, they might have been raised in a conservative environment where these are deemed unacceptable.

But some social media users pointed out that at the end of the day, the church, as an “employer,” is free to set its own ground rules.

What church leaders say

In 2018, Pope Francis told the youth not to be scared of tattoos, in response to a question on how a young person preparing for priesthood could deal with the complexities of modern culture.

“Don’t be afraid of tattoos,” the Pontiff said. “Tattoos often signify membership in a community.” 

Is it bad to have tattoos and piercings? For Father Nonette Legaspi, the chief exorcist of the Diocese of Novaliches, these could be considered sinful if they pose risks to one’s health.

He cited the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which says that “life and physical health are precious gifts entrusted to us by God. We must take reasonable care of them, taking into account the needs of others and the common good.”

The exorcist also said that those who got inked by “ungodly artists who are also occultists, or, artists who simply performed exsufflation” should consider having their tattoos erased, since there may be “unholy soul ties between the evil occult and the victim.”

What does your religion say about tattoos and piercings? Let’s discuss in the faith chat room of the Rappler Communities app.  – Rappler.com