VATICAN CITY
Courier Mail
THE Vatican’s “gay lobby” is back in the headlines after the alleged exposure of a homosexual prelate appointed by Pope Francis to the Vatican bank.
The Italian weekly L’Espresso said prelate Battista Ricca had gay relationships during his time at the Vatican embassy of Montevideo in Uruguay as well as an affair with a Swiss guard which ultimately saw him sent back to Rome in disgrace.
Vatican expert for L’Espresso Sandro Magister said Mr Ricca provided lodgings and a paycheque for captain Patrick Haari in 1999 and was once left badly beaten after trawling notorious gay hangouts before his behaviour saw him transferred out of Montevideo in 2000.
An internal bid to protect him and cover up the scandal meant Francis apparently had no idea about Mr Ricca’s past before he appointed him as his personal representative at the scandal-hit bank this year.
Mr Ricca went on to hold several prestigious positions in Rome, including the director of the Santa Martha residence where the pope lives.
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