Priest, 43, returns to Catholic Church despite sleeping with 13 parishioners and attending fetish orgies hosted by a fellow clergyman who was defrocked (see below 'he confessed to taking part in orgies organised by Father Andrea Contin, a priest from Padua near Venice...Claudio Cipolla, the bishop of Venice, said he would forgive Father Cavazzana 'like a father' and he was taking inspiration from the 'mercy of the Lord')
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Father Roberto Cavazzana attracted many women with his charismatic sermons
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The priest, aged 43, also took part in orgies and slept with 13 of his parishioners
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He was also confessor for a TV show girl who said he was 'handsome and nice'
By Danyal Hussain For Mailonline Published: 01:54 GMT, 9 March 2019 | Updated: 01:56 GMT, 9 March 2019
A priest who slept with 13 parishioners, attended orgies and even acted as a confessor to a TV showgirl has been welcomed back into the Catholic Church after spending a year living in a 'reserved way' among the poor.
Father Roberto Cavazzana, 43, attracted a legion of followers, including many women, with his charismatic sermons in the village of Carbonara di Rovolon near Venice, Italy.
People from nearby towns flocked to hear him speak and he even gave spiritual guidance to TV presenter Belen Rodriguez in 2017.
Father Cavazzana gave guidance to Ms Rodriguez before her wedding and she described him as a 'modern priest' and a 'handsome and nice man'.
Father Roberto Cavazzana, 43, attracted a legion of followers, including many women with his sermons in the village of Carbonara di Rovolon near Venice, Italy
However, in the same year he confessed to taking part in orgies organised by Father Andrea Contin, a priest from Padua near Venice, who was later defrocked.
Father Contin of San Lazzaro church was investigated after three of his former lovers went to the authorities.
Father Cavazzana is believed to have taken part in some of Father Contin's activities
Police raided Father Contin's home beside the church in the northern Italian city and recovered a stash of home-made pornography as well as a range various sex toys.
The priest is believed to have offered the services of the women through a range of wife swapping websites.
It is understood at least two of the women turned to Father Contin for help when their marriages collapsed.
Instead of spiritual guidance, the cleric is accused of seducing the women and pressurising them into participating in extreme sexual activities.
He even gave spiritual guidance to TV presenter Belen Rodriguez in 2017, who described him as 'handsome and nice'
He confessed to taking part in orgies organised by Father Andrea Contin, a priest from Padua near Venice, who was later defrocked
The priest was rumbled after he was reported to police by a 49-year-old woman he took to a French nudist resort.
He is alleged to have filmed her having sex with Father Cavazzana.
However, Father Cavazzana will be allowed back into Church, according to the Times, after his period of reflection among the poor.
Claudio Cipolla, the bishop of Venice, said he would forgive Father Cavazzana 'like a father' and he was taking inspiration from the 'mercy of the Lord'.
Maria Elena Sinigalia, the village mayor, added: 'We are not talking about paedophilia so we are calm. You need to distinguish between the man and the priest and Don Roberto is a good priest. We hope he comes back soon. We are ready to forgive him.'
Upon hearing that he would be allowed to return to the Church, the father said: 'I ask for forgiveness for the words, the gestures and all the mistakes that I have made.'