"I am mortified, I have tormenting thoughts."
Don Mario Montis , 70, Sanlurese born in Sardara, parish priest of the church of Santa Barbara Vergine Martire in Furtei since 2016, is on everyone's lips. Sunday evening on his Facebook profile appeared a photo of him naked in the shower , glasses on his nose, the crucifix on his chest. An image that has been circulating for days on the mobile phones of parishioners and non-parishioners : the news spread quickly among the 1,600 souls who live and pray in the small town of Marmilla, crossed the village borders and reached the seat of the Archbishopric. The announcement was posted on the website of the Diocese of Cagliari on Tuesday: "His Most Reverend Excellency Monsignor Baturi has appointed Don Alberto Peddis administrator of the parish of Furtei". Replaced . Don Mario yesterday shortly before lunchtime was answering his cell phone with a distraught tone. "I don't know how it could have happened."
First of all: is she in the photo? It is recognized?
"Yes, but I can't explain, let alone post a photo like that."
Why does a priest take a nude selfie?
“In fact, I wasn't taking a picture. I went into the shower and closing a call, since I can't see well, maybe I activated the camera. I repeat: I don't know ».
When did you find out what had happened?
"They warned me on Sunday evening, but I'm so low-tech that I couldn't even remove it."
Who helped her?
“Someone with a good heart, but the damage was done now. They took the photo and spun it around. A morbid curiosity ».
If you didn't post the photo, could your phone have been hacked?
"I don't understand anything about these things, they tell me that there are no certainties."
Will he report to the carabinieri?
"I don't think so, for now I'm locked up at home because I'm not well."
Did the bishop call you?
"Of course yes".
Is angry?
"No no, he understood the situation because I explained to him that there was no intention."
But what did he say at the beginning?
"He listened to me."
How are you?
«I am mortified, but what do I do? Do I throw myself off a bridge? ».
There are more serious things.
"Of course, I know that too but I have troubling thoughts right now."
What will he tell his faithful?
"Now I can't even think about it, I have other things on my mind."
Which?
"I have to recover from this thing, I'm shocked, shocked."
A message for the parishioners?
«In my heart I am calm, I know I have done nothing wrong. I'm okay with my conscience. I just can't prove it. '
Mariella Careddu
