Vatican suspends gay cleric after television interview

[aabbcc]

The Vatican has suspended a senior cleric who confessed his homosexuality on a television programme, even though his face and voice were made unrecognisable, a spokesman was quoted as saying Saturday.

"His superiors are treating this situation with the required discretion and respect due to the person concerned, even if this person has committed errors," Federico Lombardi told the Italian news agency ANSA.

The daily La Repubblica identified the priest concerned, who was not named, as an official aged around 60 in the Congregation for the Clergy, the Vatican department which manages the 400,000 Catholic priests across the world.

"The authorities are obliged to act with the necessary severity against behaviour that is incompatible with religious service and the mission of the Holy See," Lombardi said.

Four gay priests appeared in the television programme broadcast on October 1 on the national television channel La7. All had their faces hidden from the camera and their voices electronically disguised.

But the suspended prelate made the mistake of giving the televised interview in his Vatican office, which was identified by other staff, La Repubblica said.

In the interview, he said that he did not regard himself as a sinner, but had to be discreet in order not to attract the attention of his superiors.

Vatican suspends gay cleric after television interview - Yahoo! News

[Lily]

Well...what I don't understand is if a gay priest takes a vow of celibacy, and follows it, who gives a shit? It's the act of homosexuality that is considered a "sin"....not one's being of a certain orientation.

Yeesh.

[Heavenseventeen]

^True.

On channel 5 (UK) there was a show which talked about the paedophiles that the vatican is protecting from trials in the US. So they can accept a child abuser but not a clean decent person? Disgusting behaviour.