Woof-Woof.
Seriously?
In one part of the investigation Panorama said that one priest, named as Carlo, willingly put on his cassock to have sex with the reporter's gay accomplice, adding 'all of which was filmed by the hidden camera'.
The magazine also described how they had attended a Mass which was celebrated by Carlo.
In its preview Panorama insisted that it had carried out through checks and established that all three priests were bona fide but would not reveal their real names or any other details.
Panorama editor Giorgio Mule said: 'This was a two week investigation and was not aimed at creating a scandal but showing that a certain section of the clergy behaves very differently.'
After lots of brainstorming on a strategy and pacing the floors in Rome, viola:
The Vicar of Rome today called on homosexual clergymen in the Catholic Church to “come out” and leave the priesthood.
The Vicar of Rome, one of the most important positions in the Vatican, was responding to a report today in Panorama Magazine that said Catholic priests were conducting a double life, citing secret video footage.
“No one is forcing them to stay in the priesthood to exploit the benefits,” the Diocese of Rome said in a statement posted on its Web Site. “If they are coherent, they should come out into the open.”
The benefits aren't even that good anymore.
Come out, come out wherever you are?
That's it?
I'm underwhelmed.
Here's my two cents on the PR:
1. Are they pretending they don't have the paper trails on problem priests? Open the mail and check the fax machines. Make a spreadsheet of the characters. Send them an excommunication bull, an eviction notice and the date of their last check.
2. I think it's unfair to characterize every homosexual priest as a liability that should come out and get out. There ARE celibate homosexual priests who are serving the Church faithfully. Why throw the baby out with the bath water?
3. Moreover, there are sexually active heterosexual priests. The invitation for sexually active priests to get out should include heterosexuals.
4. Have they watched a US Episcopal Conference in the last 20 years? Where's their invitation to pony up and get out of Dodge? Go through the alphabet, starting somewhere around Hubbard and ending somewhere around Lynch.
