Italian priest suspended after saying children responsible for pedophilia

October 07, 2015

An Italian priest has been removed from public ministry after he told a television audience that children are largely responsible for pedophilia and homosexuality is a disease.

“I could understand pedophilia, but I don’t know about homosexuality,” said Father Gino Flaim on the La7 television channel. He said that “some children seek affection because they don’t get it at home.” These children look to priests for comfort, and said, and some priests “give in.”

As public officials denounced the priest’s comments, the Archdiocese of Trento quickly said that his statements “do not in any way represent the position of the Trento archdiocese or the feeling of the ecclesiastical community as a whole.” The archdiocese disclosed that in the wake of the TV interview, Father Flaim had been removed from his pastoral assignment and forbidden to preach.

 

 

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Further information:

• Priest says 'can understand pedophilia but not being gay' (ANSA)
• Priest slammed for paedophile comments (ANSA)
• Catholic priest sacked for remarks on pedophilia (AP)