RantCrush Top 5: July 6, 2017

Vatican police recently raided the home of a top priest and interrupted a drug-fueled gay orgy. According to Italian media, the priest is a secretary to Pope Francis’ personal adviser Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio. He has not been publicly named but was arrested, put in the hospital for a drug detox, and later questioned by police. The apartment is owned by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, the department that considers appeals from priests who have been convicted of child sex abuse. The arrested priest was reportedly on track to become a bishop, but that now seems highly unlikely.

The Vatican has been rocked by scandals once again recently. Last week, Australian Cardinal George Pell, who is one of the pope’s closest advisers, took a leave of absence to return to Australia and defend himself against sexual assault charges. The charges include at least two instances dating back to the 1970s. Pell claims he is the target of a character assassination and says he is innocent. But all said and done, none of this is particularly good news for the Catholic church.

This does not shock me. The church has some serious, fundamental, core values, problems.

— Brian Cox (@BrianCox_gab_ai) July 6, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.