The Vatican was last night at the centre of an unusually public sex scandal after acknowledging it had suspended a senior official who was filmed apparently propositioning a young man in his office. Monsignor Tommaso Stenico, a capo ufficio, or section head, at the Vatican ministry responsible for the clergy, insisted yesterday he was not gay. He said he had posed as a homosexual to research a plot by satanists.

. . .

Television viewers saw the Vatican official sit alongside his guest and say: “You’re very good-looking.”

“Thank you,” replied the younger man, before putting it to his host that he was about to commit a sin.

“I don’t feel it is a sin,” said the official. When the other man insisted that it was at odds with the teaching of the church, the Vatican official brought the conversation to an abrupt end.

When his guest bade farewell, saying “It’s been a pleasure,” the Vatican official replied: “Not for me, because you don’t fancy me.”

And what’s the Monsignor’s excuse?

[H]e told the Corriere della Sera newspaper that he “wanted to carry out a study, probably for publication”. He said he was a registered psychologist and psychotherapist and his aim had been “to study how priests are ensnared”.

He added: “I really believe that there is a diabolic plan by satanist groups who take aim at priests.”

Sounds to me like a diabolical plan by the Monsignor to get some ass-bangin’ on. Have to file this one under dumbasses.

[Hotel Tango: Foreign Policy Passport]