ITALY: Catholic Priest Sacked After Blaming Pedophilia On “Affection Seeking” Kids During Live TV Interview

In Italian priest has been suspended from his parish after telling a live TV audience that he can understand pedophilia because it’s caused by “affection seeking” children. Homosexuality, he went on to say, is just a sinful disease. The Independent reports:

Don Gino Flaim, 75, of the diocese of Trento in Northern Italy, has been removed from his position and banned from preaching since his comments were aired on the private La 7 network on Tuesday. In the TV interview, Flaim had said: “Unfortunately there are children who seek affection because they don’t get it at home and then if they find some priest he can even give in [to the temptation]. I understand this.” Asked if he believed the children were in any way responsible, he said: “In many cases, yes.” Flaim said that while he could “understand” paedophilia, he could not understand the “sickness” of homosexuality.

Flaim’s words have caused a firestorm of outrage in the Italian national press and on social media.