Pictures of Kids Licking Cream off Priest's Knees Spark Outrage

The Sun
September 20, 2012

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4548450/Pictures-of-kids-licking-cream-off-priests-knees-spark-outrage.html

A POLISH Catholic priest has been forced to defend himself after pictures emerged of children licking cream off his legs.

The photos show an "initiation ceremony" at the Salesians' high school in Lubin, southern Poland.

In them 13 year-old pupils, both male and female, are seen licking whipped cream off a priest's bare knees as well crawling up a flight of stairs.

The priest in the images, who is the school's principal, has defended his actions by saying such ceremonies for first year pupils have been an annual event for many years.

Adding that no one has ever complained, he said he saw nothing wrong in his actions.

While some people have expressed shock over the pictures, which were posted on the school’s website, the parents of some pupils have come out in support of the priest.

In a letter of defence they claimed that the whipped cream was actually shaving foam and nobody was forced to eat it.

Monika Sajkowska, from the Nobody's Child Foundation charity deemed the behaviour "inappropriate", reports said.

She said: "The children were manipulated into this. Limits were exceeded. But not, it appears, with any other intention other than having fun."

She added that "parents should talk to the children" about the photos.

The images have now been removed from the school's website.

Local prosecutors launched an investigation after the photos were picked up by the national media.

They have said they will not press charges against Father Kozyra, but condemned his behaviour as "tasteless".