Father Damaso

Father Damaso is one of the prominent characters in the novel Noli Me Tangere. The novel was written by Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines. Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not or "Social Cancer") is a controversial novel that narrated the abuses of the Catholic Church, the Spanish Friars and the Spanish elite during colonial Philippines in the 1800's.

The writing of the novel cost the author his life. He was executed by firing squad. Civil authorities carried out the execution upon the instigation of the Spanish friars.

The novel and the execution sparked the Philippine Revolution that overthrew Spanish Colonization after 333 years.

What is shocking about the novel were the topics discussed in puritanical polite Philippine society. To this day, prominent Catholic schools like the Ateneo de Manila University still censor parts of the novel.

Father Damaso was a Catholic priest sworn to celibacy who seduced the fair maiden of the village, among other things. I am not sure if she was seduced or raped.

When Spain ceded the colony to the US in 1899,and the US system of public education was implemented, the priests managed to delete the seduction portion. Evidence of the continued influence of the Catholic church. Up to this day, that portion is deleted. It is only in the progressive University of the Philippines, the premier state university where that episode is discussed.