The Pope is “absolutely right” that priests and nuns watch pornography - which is a “social evil” in Ireland, according to clerics here.
Priests like Fr Jerald David in Co Mayo and Bishop Pat Buckley from Co Offaly told the Irish Star/ Mirror that porn is “a problem”.
Fr David of St Joseph’s Church in Aghamore said: “Human nature is the same in any country and it is a constant struggle for anybody.
Read More: Pope says priests and nuns watch porn and urges people to 'delete from phone'
“St Paul might say it is spiritual warfare. The Pope is encouraging seminarians not to succumb to the trap of pornography. It is fatherly advice.
“I have spoken at Mass to my parishioners about the dangers of pornography. It is harmful and is a social evil that has caused divisions in families.”
Pope Francis, 86, warned seminarians at the Vatican in Rome on Monday that porn is a temptation which “weakens the priestly heart”.
Il Papa said porn is bad and said: “It’s a vice that so many people have; so many laymen, so many lay women, and even priests and nuns.”
In June, he warned that porn is “a permanent attack on the dignity of men and women” and a “threat to public health”.
Bishop Buckley, 70, told the told the Irish Mirror: “I know that some nuns have sex with laymen.
“So I am not surprised that the Pope has said this because it has been a problem for a long time. But I don’t think the Pope realises the full extent of the problem.
“Pornography has been a big part of life for seminarians in Ireland over the last 10 years. A lot of them use the dating app Grindr, especially those aged around 40 to 45.
“There have been priests accessing porn and sending sexual images of themselves to people in the hope of having sex. If porn is your outlet for sexual expression, it is a problem.”
Fr Buckley is originally from Tullamore in Co Offaly but has lived in Antrim since he was excommunicated by the Vatican in 1998 when he became a bishop of the Tridentine Order.
The Vatican said his controversial consecration by the Tridentines meant that he automatically excommunicated himself under Canon Law 1382.
Fr Buckley then formed his own breakaway order called the Latin Tridentine Church and announced in in October 1999 that he is gay.
He added yesterday: “I know of a priest whose porn habit meant that he was not allowed on a computer behind a closed door. He had to leave the door open.
“As for nuns, I have had two nun stalkers in my 46 years as a priest.”
Pope Francis was responding to a question about digital and social media during an audience at the Vatican.
He said: “Dear brothers, be careful of this. The pure heart, the heart that receives Jesus every day, cannot receive this pornographic information.”
He urged people who see porn to “delete it” from their phones “so you won’t have temptation in your hand”.
He added: “The devil enters from there: it weakens the priestly heart.
“Excuse me for going down to these details about pornography. But there is a reality: a reality that touches priests, seminarians, nuns, consecrated souls.
“Do you understand? All right. This is important."
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