A Roman Catholic priest has blamed
Italy's civil unions law for the nation's recent earthquakes.
Italian lawmakers earlier this year
approved legislation that recognizes gay and lesbian couples with
civil unions.
Fr. Giovanni Cavalcoli last week told
radio station Radio Maria that the quakes were “divine punishment”
for “the offense to the family and the dignity of marriage, in
particular civil unions.”
On Friday, Archbishop Angelo Becciu, a
high-ranking Vatican official, scolded Cavalcoli and called his
remarks “offensive for believers and scandalous for non-believers.”
Becciu said that the statements “have nothing to do with Church
teaching and are contrary to the vision of God as offered to us by
Christ.”
Despite the rebuke, Cavalcoli
reiterated his claims during an appearance on another radio
station, where he insisted that earthquakes were a result of “sins
of the man.” He also said that the Vatican should “read their
catechism.”
Pope
Francis came out against civil unions in January.