Vatican Sex Scandal – One in a Series of Recent Setbacks for the Church

March 09, 2010

A sex scandal involving a chorister and a papal gentleman-in-waiting has rocked the Vatican, with allegations surfacing of a male-prostitution ring, at a time when the church has been plagued with a fresh set of scandals across the world.

A Gentleman of His Holiness –one of an elite group of men who serve as ushers for the Pope during ceremonies – was caught on wiretap describing to a chorister the men he would like procured for sexual purposes.

The chorister is 29-year-old Thomas Chinedu Ehiem, and the usher is Angelo Balducci. Ehiem has been let go by the Vatican and Balducci has been in police custody since last month.

Police were investigating corruption allegations against Balducci when they uncovered the ring.

Ehiem, in an interview with Panoramas magazine, said: “He [Baldacci] asked me if I could procure other men for him. He told me he was married and that I had to do it in great secrecy.”

CBS News Correspondent Richard Roth reports that "bad publicity over sex and sexual abuse charges still confronts the church.

"Irish bishops were called to Rome in February after Benedict expressed outrage over a paedophilia scandal in their country. A prominent Catholic religious order countered new corruption charges in Mexico this week over sex and money. And the pope's old diocese figures in some of the newest sexual abuse claims in Germany."

"We're just scratching the surface here," says CBS News consultant Father Thomas Williams. "There's definitely more to come. We only know of these two men connected with the Vatican in some way, but obviously, they're talking about a ring, and a ring means definitely more people involved. So, I'm sure more will be coming out in the days to come."
 

Image author: Fabio Pozzebom