By: Robin Murray-o'hair
Re: Saints and Sinners

SAINTS AND SINNERS

The Roman Catholic church is currently in hot water in the U.S.,
Ireland, and Australia because of the sexual antics of its priests.
But a new book reaffirms that these scandals are nothing new.

"Saints and Sinners" by Filippo Tamburini, a 70-year-old priest,
documents clerical crime from previous centuries. Culled from
public statements of penitence from sinners given to the Sacred
Penitentiary, a kind of Vatican court, the crimes include murder,
infanticide, witchcraft, and illicit sex. The source documents are
from the years 1451 to 1586. Among the tales is that of Sister
Biagina, who bore and then killed two children.

Tamburini culled the statements from the archives of the
Penitentiary, where he worked for 12 years before retiring. The
Vatican has condemned the book, but the initial printing of 2000
copies by the Instituto di Propaganda Libraria has sold out.


Source: Detroit News, 3/18/95