The Catholic Church recently welcomed back a priest who had previously slept with 13 of his parishioners as well as filmed bondage sessions and orgies.
Father Roberto Cavazzana, 43, has been noted as “very charismatic” and subsequently, attracted a lot of attention from the media.
In 2017, he rose to fame in Italy after sharing spiritual guidance to Belen Rodriguez — a very famous TV presenter in the country.
He was described by Rodriguez as a “modern priest,” and a “handsome and nice man.”
Eventually, he was “defrocked,” after bringing shame on the church — then living among the “poor,” in what was described as a “reserved way,” for an entire year.
The term “defrocked” and/or “a laicized priest” is when a priest is forbidden from exercising his priesthood for the rest of his life.
Currently, the 43-year-old is attempting to recover his reputation, after the scandal came out last year.
He admitted that he had sex with 13 of his church goers as well as took part in a large number of sex parties.
Father Andrea Contin, another priest, organized the orgies and was later expelled from the church too.
Father Contin, 50, would film the parties — where they used bondage equipment as well as sex toys.
After three of his former lovers came forward about his behavior, an investigation was launched.
Officials discovered home-made pornography as well as sex toys when his home in Padua was searched.
Of the women who came forward, two shared claims that they went to Contin for advice as they feared their marriages were falling apart.
But instead of giving the women spiritual guidance, they allege that he seduced them as well as pressured them to be involved in “extreme sexual activities.”
The bishop of Venice, Claudio Cipolla, said that he forgave Father Cavazzana “like a father,” and he was receiving his inspiration from the “mercy of the Lord.”
The village mayor, Maria Elena Sinigalia, said:
“We are not talking about pedophilia so we are calm. You need to distinguish between the man and the priest and Don Roberto is a good priest. We hope he comes back soon. We are ready to forgive him.”
The father shared the following after he heard he was allowed to return to the Church:
“I ask for forgiveness for the words, the gestures and all the mistakes that I have made.”
According to the Catholic Exchange, it is noted to be “impossible,” to “un-ordain,” a priest and even a laicized priest who has lost his confessional faculties can continue to hear the confession of someone who is dying.
“Theoretically, if at some point in the future the laicized priest changed his mind, and wanted to live as a priest again, this would be canonically possible—but he would have to receive permission to be once more ‘re-instated’ directly from Rome. For obvious reasons, the Church does not want undecided men easily moving back and forth, in and out of the priestly state! But in any case, a previously-laicized priest returning to ministry would not be ordained again, as he would still be an ordained priest already.”
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