When Spanish bishop Xavier Novell quit last month, the Roman Catholic Church cited strictly personal reasons without delving into detail.
But now it has surfaced in Spanish media that he fell in love with a woman who writes Satanic-tinged erotic fiction.
In 2010 at the age of 41, he became Spain’s youngest bishop.
Seen as a rising star in Spain’s Catholic Church, his decision to resign with the Vatican’s approval came as a surprise last month. He is said to have met several times with Vatican officials as well as the Pope himself.
It was shocking when Religión Digital reported that he had fallen in love for divorcee Silvia Caballol, a psychologist and erotic novelist. The news site said that the former bishop was now looking for a job in the Barcelona area as an agronomist.
Caballol’s books include titles such as The Hell of Gabriel’s Lust and the trilogy Amnesia. Her work promises the reader a captivating narrative that encompasses the themes of sadism, lust, hysteria and the clash between good and evil. A compelling plot that shakes one’s religious values to the core.
The ex-bishop and her amour have remained silent about the controversial news reports making rounds in national and international media.
The issue has brought to the forefront the issue of celibacy within the Church. In earlier interviews, Xavier Novell admitted that in his youth he had fallen in love with an 18-year-old girl and he had later wanted to marry and have children before deciding to dedicate his life to the church.
His change of heart has prompted grumblings within the Church.
