A bishop in Colombia said the recent gay “wedding” officiated by a
priest not incardinated in his diocese was fraudulent, as same-sex
“marriage” is not recognized by the Catholic Church.
In remarks to the Colombian bishops' news service, Bishop Jose
Alejandro Castano Arbelaez of Cartago said Father Alberto Piedrahita –
who was ordained in Canada – cannot lawfully exercise the priesthood in
Colombia.
The sacraments administered by him “are illicit, and in some cases invalid,” the bishop said.
He added that Fr. Piedrahita has caused “great scandal” in the local
community by celebrating Mass in inappropriate places, including bars,
fields and even on tombs.
Catholics, the bishop noted, “must not only say what we believe, but we
must also single out those who in the name of the Catholic Church are
fraudulently usurping a right and are seeking to profit financially or
increase their personal image.”
He called Fr. Piedrahita “a swindler who is officiating at religious
ceremonies in fraudulent way,” and that the priest is “trying to usurp a
right of the Church.”
Bishop Castano said such cases create “confusion, because many
parishioners turn to these kinds of priests, and so word spreads that
they do good, that they celebrate with devotion.”
“For this reason we need to help them understand the norms of the
Church in order to stop what is not only abuse, but also fraud and
usurpation,” the bishop said.
In a statement issued by the diocese, Bishop Castano urged the faithful
to refrain from receiving the sacraments from Fr. Piedrahita and that
those who have been married by him so should call the diocesan curia “as
soon as possible” to inquire about their validity.