A catholic priest from Funchal, Portugal recently made headlines in the country for being kept in the pastoral ministry despite fathering a child. The priest resigned from his role as a pastor, but will still be able to carry on other tasks for the ministry.
Fr. Giselo Andrade was allowed to stay in the ministry despite having a child. Back in November 2017, Andrade came clean to the Portuguese Diocese of Funchal about having a daughter. Andrade was then serving the Our Lady of the Hill church as a pastor.
The Diocese of Funchal said in a statement, "the Church is a place of mercy and God forgives everything, but a double life is unacceptable."
An investigation was also conducted to provide aid to the situation in "respecting the delicateness of the case, the dignity of persons and the consequences it has in the parish itself and the other Christian communities."
Andrade also had a dialogue with the Diocese and its Bishop regarding his future if he wants to "exercise the pastoral ministry according the requirements and norms of the Church or instead would embrace another vocation."
The former pastor decided to continue with the task already given to him and is waiting for additional responsibilities from the diocese.
The Funchal Diocese did not reveal much information about Andrade's daughter who was born back in August 2017.
Pope Francis has not commented on the matter concerning Andrade. The Papal is in the midst of tackling the major issue with child abuse in the clergy. The Pope deployed Vatican's sex crime expert Malteste Bishop Charles Scicluna to Chile to gather information about the controversial Bishop Juan Barros. The Chilean Bishop is facing sexual abuse allegations.
Scicluna will talk to people willing to give information about the factors revolving the issue and Barros.
