Vatican Cleric asserts that gay sex is not sinful.
Pastor Dale Morgan
Oct 13, 3:22 PM EDT
*Vatican Cleric asserts that gay sex is not sinful.*
By FRANCES D'EMILIO
Associated Press Writer
VATICAN CITY (AP) -- The Vatican said Saturday it was investigating a
monsignor with a senior post at the Holy See, after an Italian TV
program using a hidden camera recorded him making advances to a young
man and asserting that gay sex was not sinful.
The Vatican did not identify the monsignor by name. But Monsignor
Tommaso Stenico confirmed in a telephone interview with The Associated
Press that he had been suspended from his post at the Vatican's
Congregation for Clergy, an office which aims to ensure proper conduct
by priests.
"Don't condemn me," Stenico said, adding that the program "was done
fraudulently" because it used a hidden camera.
In the program on private Italian network La7, a man identified as a
priest is heard saying that he "didn't feel he was sinning" by having
sex with gay men.
Rome daily La Repubblica reported Saturday that Vatican officials
recognized the monsignor's office in the background of the program,
which aired Oct. 1.
The Rev. Federico Lombardi, a Vatican spokesman, said the Italian
monsignor was suspended while the case was under investigation.
"Higher-ups are evaluating the situation with the necessary reserve and
with the obligatory respect for the person involved, even if this person
has erred," Lombardi said.
Vatican officials "had to intervene decisively and with the severity
required by conduct not compatible with priestly service and with the
mission of the Holy See," he added.
While the Vatican rarely comments on individual sex scandals, this case
directly touched the Holy See, apparently prompting the confirmation of
the report.
Vatican teaching holds that homosexual activity is a sin.
Stenico said to call back later in the day when he would have more to
say, but later attempts to reach him were not successful.
The Italian news agency ANSA quoted him as saying he had sent his
superiors "a dutiful memo" about the case.
Milan daily Corriere della Sera had previously reported that a young man
had contacted La7 and said he had been in contact with several priests
on chat lines popular with gay men. Corriere said La7 then filmed
encounters between the man and priests with a hidden camera.
A woman identifying herself as a producer for La7's "Exit" program
declined to comment about the case, saying only that the program could
be viewed on the network's Web site.
In the program, the faces of those speaking with the young man are
obscured and their voices altered so they would not be recognized.
The man La Repubblica identified as the Vatican official can be heard
saying that "he didn't feel he was sinning" by having sex with gay men
and asking his visitor if he liked him.