Italian priest: I can understand being a pedophile, but not gay
Don Gino Flaim clearly has no sense of irony
Don Gino Flaim clearly has no sense of irony. The priest, a member of the Catholic Church — an institution no stranger to clergy members sexually assaulting children — told Italian TV station La 7 that he could understand members of the church being pedophiles.
What’s worse? He blamed the children.
According to The Independent, Flaim stated: “Unfortunately there are children who seek affection because they don’t get it at home and then if they find some priest he can even give in [to the temptation]. I understand this.”
He was asked if he thought children were responsible for priests molesting them. “In many cases, yes,” he retorted. Incredibly, after saying that he could “understand” pedophilia, he then described homosexuality as a “sickness.”
Flaim’s diocese — Trento in Northen Italy — stated that his comments didn’t reflect “the sentiments of the entire church community” with regards child sex abuse.
In a statement, Flaim attempted to deflect criticism from his church — which has currently suspended him — saying that his comments “do not represent the positions of Trento archdiocese and the general sentiment of the parish.”
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