Italian magazine creates new Catholic Church “scandal:” 3 Roman priests have gay sex lives
”Those who live a ‘double life’, who do not understand what it is to be a Catholic priest, should not become priests… No one obliges them to remain priests and keep enjoying the advantages…. Consistency demands that they reveal themselves. We don’t wish them any harm, but we cannot accept that the honour of all the others is dragged through the mud because of their behaviour.”
Taken from a statement by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese’ Vicar of Rome in response to an article by an Italian magazine, Panorama, reporting knowledge of many priests who are gay, who are involved in the gay circles of Rome, and some of which engage in active sex lives with men. The magazine published video of their exposé on its website. (AFP)
”For 20 days, Carmelo Abbate, a Panorama journalist, accompanied by a gay “accomplice,” has infiltrated the evenings of some good priests, in Rome, who are leading an amazing double life: by day, priests in clerical garb; by night these men are well integrated into the capital’s gay circles…”
Loose translation of an opening paragraph from the cover story of Panorama, an Italian magazine, that has caused quite a stir with “undercover” video of gay priests in Rome. The magazine claims it knows of many priests who are gay but only covers the activities of three: Paul, Carlo, and Luca (all fake names). The grainy, dark, and digitally blurred video shows Paul posing clothed with two shirtless, hands-on, male dancers. Another priest, Charles, is quoted as claiming that 98% of the priests he knows are gay. Charles is then shown on video at home laying on a sofabed with the reporter’s gay “accomplice,” allegedly about to engage in gay sex (excised from the video). Later, the video shows Paul kissing his religious garb as he gets dressed in a white cassock. (Panorama article 1) (Panorama article 2)
”On this matter, the church’s real problem is the closet. I must agree with the Vicar of Rome that it would be helpful if gay priests would come out–so we could thank them for their faithful service, especially as they have been unjustly tarred with “causing” sex abuse . Unfortunately, our church leadership at this time is not creating the kind of open and safe space that would allow for such honesty.”
Bryan Cones, the Managing Editor of US Catholic magazine. arguing that the Vicar of Rome and Bill Donohue are angry over the headlines of priests actively engaging in homosexual sex or molesting male children, and they are missing the church’s real issue — a governance problem regarding crimes against children. Cones adds that the headlines skip over the stories of gay priests who “labor faithfully, honoring their commitments,” because if they were to come forward, they would face expulsion. (US Catholic)
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