A Catholic Bishop and beach blonde were spotted swimming together at a Mexican luxury resort, and the church official could be fired from his position in the Argentine Roman Catholic Diocese. Bishop Fernando Maria Bargallo is now under investigation by the Vatican.
The Catholic Bishop's beach trip with the mystery blonde sparked an immediate outcry, with journalists and reporters clamoring to know the facts. Initially, Bargallo denied the video, saying it was of someone else. However, after scrutiny, he admitted it was him and a "very old friend" in the video, which was taken in 2011.
"The photographs are, in effect, from an encounter in Mexico where I coincided for various reasons, two years ago, with a friend from my childhood," the 59-year-old Bishop told La Nacion of the Puerto Vallarta resort rendezvous.
The veracity of the photos as damning evidence could certainly be disputed. While in one picture Bargallo is close and face-to-face with the bikini-clad woman, others show them simply enjoying the water and the view.
Whether torrid affair or innocent vacation, the Bishop recognizes that his actions— while showcased by "ambiguous" film, were still too "reckless" for a man of the cloth. He insisted that other people were present at the time, but were out of the frame of the photos.
The Vatican is making a full investigation into the matter, and Bargallo's position with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Merlo-Moreno— a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires— is at risk. Bargallo is in charge of the Caritas Latinoamerica group, which helps impoverished peoples in various countries.
Despite the seriousness of the allegations put forth against him, Bargallo seems confident that his relationship with the female friend he's known "since [he] could reason" will exonerate him. He also claims to be very close to her family.
Bishop Bargallo also says he is still as "devoted to God" as he ever was.
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