By Daniel Mosseri
European Jewish Press
August 10, 2007
http://www.ejpress.org/article/19131
Rome — An Italian popular priest charged with sex abuse has apologised after insulting the Jews and accusing them of "generating paedophile rumours."
Defending himself against the charges, Father Pierino Gelmini, 81, was quoted by Italian newspapers last Sunday as saying that a "radical-chic Jewish lobby is stretching out to weaken the whole Church, starting with the American Church".
His declarations sparked a protest from Jewish leaders as well as from some politicians who accused Gelmini of being an anti-Semite.
"I hope don Gelmini will soon regain clearness of mind and retract his statement", Renzo Gattegna, chairman of the Italian Union of the Jewish Communities (UCEI), said.
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| Defending himself against sexual abuse charges, Father Pierino Gelmini, 81, was quoted by Italian newspapers last Sunday as saying that a "radical-chic Jewish lobby is stretching out to weaken the whole Church, starting with the American Church". |
The following day the priest apologised to the Jews, "for whom I have a great deal of consideration and respect."
He added that "he meant to refer to a a Masonic lobby instead."
"If I said that then it just slipped out, because I intended to say Masonic radical-chic," Gelmini told Italian radio in comments splashed across Italian newspapers on Monday.
A very well-know character, Father Gelmini is the founder of Comunità Incontro, a non profit organisation that has helped more than 300,000 drug addicts to undergo treatment in the last 40 years.
Founded in 1963, Comunità Incontro has 164 facilities in Italy and 74 abroad, including Bolivia, Brazil and Thailand.
Gelmini was placed under investigation after two men who had been thrown out of one of his centres reported to they police that they had been sexually abused by Gelmini.
The priest rebuffed the accusations, as "insinuations that will not wipe out 44 years of work".
His lawyer said Father Gelmini was the victim of a retaliation of two people that were kicked out because they were caught stealing.
"Gelmini's words revive an anti-Semitism that reminds of Fascist Italy,". said Franco Grillini, head of the Left Democrat Party. "In Italy, the only powerful lobby to be found is the Roman Catholic one," he added.
However, most of centre-right politicians underlined how Gelmini apologised to the Jews and shielded the priest from the sex abuse charges.
Anti-drug activity
Because of his decades-long anti-drug activity, Gelmini is highly respected by Italy's conservatives circles.
In 2005, on occasion of the priest's 80th birthday, then Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi donated 5 million euros to Comunità Incontro.
"I'm pleased that Father Gelmini has corrected himself but his gaffe is nevertheless disquieting since it uncovers the ghosts of prejudice," Riccardo Di Segni, Rome's Chief Rabbi, said.
"Had he not taken it back, we could have reported him for racial hatred and ask for a heavy fine, to be devolved to some charity centre. Not his this time," the rabbi told the daily La Stampa.
Expressing admiration for the priest's social activity, he added: "I hope he will talk more carefully in the future".
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