Summary: The apartment of one of Pope Francis’s top aides was raided by police after complaints of multiple men entering the apartment that were acting strangely.
Vatican police raided the apartment of a cardinal aide to find a drug-fueled gay orgy. Perhaps even more disturbing is that the home inhabited by Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio’s secretary is part of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, the division responsible for handling clerical sex abuse. The Holy Father is “enraged” over this latest scandal, especially since it involves one of his key advisers.
Vatican cops were called to the home when neighbors complained about numerous people showing up at that apartment and acting weirdly each night. Near the end of June, they raided the home to find several men getting high and engaging in a sex party.
The priest was taken to a clinic where he could detox from the drugs and then arrested. While gay sex is not illegal in Vatican City, possession of drugs are so he most likely has been charged for drug related offenses. It is reported that he is now on a spiritual retreat at a convent in Italy.
The secretary had been recommended by Coccopalmerio for a promotion to bishop, but that likely is not going to happen now. The secretary also has two alleged drug overdoses in his past as well. It is suggested that he may be forced into retirement after this latest stunt.
This scandal comes just a week after Cardinal George Pell was accused of sex abuse. Pell has been accused in Australia of several sex crimes. At this time, Pell is the highest-ranking official within the church to be accused of sexual abuse. He had returned to Australia to defend his innocence. Pell said, “I am looking forward finally to having my day in court. I repeat that I am innocent of these charges. They are false. The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me.”
The exact charges have not been released but only that they are multiple complainants. Pell was one of nine cardinal-advisers hand-picked by the Pope Francis to form a panel charged with giving the church’s global followers more voice within the church and addressing the church’s finances.
Pope Francis also established a commission in 2014 to address abuse within the church, involving non-clerical members. The top non-clerical member, Marie Collins, quit in March over frustration at the lack of cooperation by the Vatican. She claimed that the Vatican administration ignored requests from the Pope to engage in correspondence with all abuse victims.
Reports of misbehaving priests involved in orgies, pornography and prostitution became a norm on March when story after story hit the public. The Vatican has been trying to address the issue of sexual abuse by priests and mishandling of such cases in the past but continued stories place the church in a position of taking one step forward then two steps backward.
Are you surprised when you hear new reports of Catholic priests involved in sexual behavior? Tell us in the comments below.
To learn more about recent reports out of the Vatican, read these articles:
- Vatican Slammed with Accusations of Orgies, Porn and Prostitution
- Cardinal O’Brien Admits to Long Term Gay-Relationship
- Shipment of Cocaine-Filled Condoms Stopped before Reaching Vatican
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