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An impotent decision
Daniel Burke
June 12, 2008

An Italian bishop has told a young paraplegic man that he cannot be married by the Catholic Church because he is impotent, according to Agence France-Presse.

Says AFP:

Salvatore de Ciuco, spokesman for Bishop Lorenzo Chiarinelli of Viterbo in central Italy, said: “No bishop, no priest can celebrate a wedding when he knows of admitted impotence as it is a motive for annulment” of the marriage.


The 26-year-old groom, married instead in a civil ceremony Saturday in Viterbo, has been paraplegic since he was involved in a car accident.

The curate of the parish who was banned from marrying the couple was present at the ceremony.

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