Don Leonardo Maria Pompei suspended after a direct YouTube: the social case that shakes the community of Sermoneta

It is not clear whether it was just a direct YouTube or many years of tension with the diocese that triggered the suspension «in Divinis»By Don Leonardo Maria Pompei, Parish priest of the church of Santa Maria Assunta in Heaven in Sermoneta, province of Latina. The decision, taken by Bishop Mariano Crociata, ordered that the priest is dispensed “by the obligation to bring the ecclesiastical dress” and was asked to “do not present himself publicly as a priest”.

The measure follows Pompeii’s refusal to respect an explicit order of the bishop: two days before suspension, Crusade had ordered him to stop any activity on social media. The parish priest, a priest for 21 years and known for his online activism, has instead chosen to organize a direct public on YouTube, inviting the faithful to connect. During the meeting, Pompeii said that he “no longer feeling in communion with the bishop Diocesan and with the hierarchy of the Church “and of no longer wanting to” celebrate the mass according to the liturgy of the Second Vatican Council “.

According to the diocese, «with this behavior Don Leonardo Pompei has disappeared in a positive and public form to the obligation of obedience to his ordinary. The next step was that of the suspension from the presbytery ministry ».

Rupture signals were already evident: On August 29 and then on 3 September, Don Leonardo Maria Pompei had announced the will to resign as a parish priest in writing, openly contesting the line of the official church. The gesture of the direct social, however, made a fracture public and tangible that until then remained private and silent.

The priest is among the most active in the Italian Church on social media: His YouTube channel has over 76 thousand subscribers, Instagram exceeds 7 thousand followers, Facebook 4 thousand And its Telegram channel over 7,700 subscriptions. The personal site is a true multimedia center, with podcasts, homilies, catechesis, conferences, meditations, prayers, meditated rosaries, biblical catechesis, and a download section full of digital books, ebooks and audiobooks.

Pompeii’s positions are known for theiror strong conservative imprint: He expressed himself against the coexistence and use of the contraceptives, becoming a point of reference for a part of the faithful. The story raises wider questions: how much space can priests have on social media? Until what point can digital communication conflict with ecclesiastical authority?

The dicastery for the doctrine of faith, competent by matter, will be called to examine the statements public by Don Pompeii, evaluating any further measures. In the meantime, the priest does not remain silent: he has already announced A reply, scheduled for tonight, September 5, at 9 pm, live YouTube, To make some “clarifications” on his suspension and clarify his position in front of the faithful.