I guess the bishop of Minas, Uruguay, Francisco Domingo Barbosa Da Silveira, 65, thought it would safe to report extortion attempts against him to police without anyone knowing what the alleged extorters were threatening to reveal: that he was having sex with other male members of the clergy as well as two prisoners he had hired to help out around his office. How silly of him.

Pope Benedict XVI dismissed the bishop of Minas (Uruguay), Francisco Domingo Barbosa Da Silveira, who denounced an extortion that left uncovered he was having homosexual relations, informed today the Vatican.

In a brief bulletin the press office of the Vatican informed that the pontiff has received the resignation in accordance to the paragraph 401.2 of the Code of Canon law, the fundamental law that applies to the catholic Church.

This regulation says: “The diocesan bishop is asked earnestly to present the resignation to his office if for illness or another serious cause there was remaining diminished his aptitude to redeem it”.

“The Holy Father accepted the resignation to the pastoral government of the diocese of Minas presented by monsignor Francisco Domingo Barbosa Da Silveira, in conformity of the article 401,2 of the CDC”, indicated the Vatican in the bulletin.

The two prisoners videotaped the encounter with a cell phone and were threatening to use the material to “out” the bishop.

Thinking about it a bit more, I guess with all of the child molesters in the clergy that get off with nary a slap on the wrist, Barbosa was probably right to think he could do the same.

Via / Momento 24 and 20 Minutos