According to the priest, a member of a sexual minority cannot act as a counselor at a children’s camp. “I thought the Middle Ages had already passed,” replied the mayor of the area.
A children’s summer camp organized by the Catholic Church in Cesena in northern Italy will not be held because the parish priest found out that the intended director of the camp belongs to a sexual minority, said Corriere Romagna magazine on Wednesday.
The director’s homosexuality became clear to the parish priest when he saw a picture from social media where the man chosen to be the director was kissing another man.
Instead of teaching, the director was offered the position of camp supervisor, which he refused. Since a substitute could not be found in time, the camp had to be canceled.
– The rules are clear. We cannot convey to the children of the summer camp such a message that a homosexual teacher is normal. A homosexual cannot teach children, said a person who was part of the church’s leadership to the Corriere Romagna newspaper.
Mayor of Cesena Enzo Lattuca condemned the decision of the congregation.
– I thought the Middle Ages had already passed. I was clearly wrong, he wrote on Facebook.
The Catholic Church still considers homosexuality a sin. However, according to the church’s teachings, people belonging to sexual minorities should be treated with understanding and there is no order in the church prohibiting them from having contact with children.
Sources: STT, AP, Corriere Romagna