By Stacy Meichtry
Wall Street Journal
September 4, 2009
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125201656541284753.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
ROME — An influential Roman Catholic newspaper editor who questioned the lifestyle of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi resigned his post Thursday — a casualty of a bruising newspaper war that has opened a rift between the Vatican and the premier.
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| Two women read the Il Giornale with a picture Dino Boffo, editor of Avvenire -- the Italian Bishops Conference's daily -- on its front page in downtown Milan September 3, 2009. Photo by Reuters |
Dino Boffo stepped down as editor in chief of Avvenire, the official newspaper of the Italian Bishops Conference, following a weeklong barrage of coverage — led by Il Giornale, a national newspaper owned by Mr. Berlusconi's brother Paolo — alleging that Mr. Boffo was involved in a homosexual affair that led to a 2002 harassment case. The existence of a plea bargain in the case couldn't be independently verified.
The resignation is likely to deepen tensions between the Vatican and Mr. Berlusconi. Mr. Boffo was among the few prominent Roman Catholics in Italy to publicly question Mr. Berlusconi's private life. Mr. Berlusconi has been under scrutiny since his wife announced plans to divorce him, citing his links to an 18-year-old aspiring model. Mr. Berlusconi has denied having a "spicy" relationship with the woman; he also denied having paid for sex with a prostitute who went public with allegations that she spent the night at his residence in Rome.
Mr. Berlusconi's disregard for "sober style" had become a source of "mortification" for the Catholic Church, Mr. Boffo wrote in an Aug. 12 response to an Avvenire reader.
Over the past week, Vatican officials and top Italian clerics have rallied behind Mr. Boffo as Avvenire and Il Giornale traded punches with bold headlines and front-page articles. Mr. Boffo accused Vittorio Feltri, Il Giornale's editor in chief, of running a smear campaign against him. Mr. Feltri has rigorously defended Il Giornale's reporting.
On Thursday, Avvenire accused Il Giornale of publishing "10 falsehoods" about Mr. Boffo, saying he never accepted a plea bargain in the 2002 case. Mr. Boffo hasn't elaborated on the details of the case.
—Davide Berretta contributed to this article.
Write to Stacy Meichtry at stacy.meichtry@wsj.com
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