Pope Benedict XVI dismissed the bishop of Minas (Uruguay), Francisco Domingo Barbosa Da Silveira, who denounced an extortion that left uncovered he was having homosexual relations, informed today the Vatican.

In a brief bulletin the press office of the Vatican informed that the pontiff has received the resignation in accordance  to the paragraph 401.2 of the Code of Canon law, the fundamental law that applies to the catholic Church.

This regulation says: “The diocesan bishop is asked earnestly to present the resignation to his office if for illness or another serious cause there was remaining diminished his aptitude to redeem it”.

“The Holy Father accepted the resignation to the pastoral government of the diocese of Minas presented by monsignor Francisco Domingo Barbosa Da Silveira, in conformity of the article 401,2 of the CDC”, indicated the Vatican in the bulletin.

Sources at the Uruguayan Bishops’ Conference confirmed that the bishops do not have the authority to take the necessary measures in the case of Bishop Barbosa, who has been denounced for having homosexual relations by some clergy in his diocese. The case of Bishop Barbosa must be dealt with by the Holy See.

The newspaper El Pais reported the bishop requested a police investigation saying he was the victim of extortion. Two adult men with criminal backgrounds were charged and sentenced to prison.

“The bishops’ conference, the Church, has no plans to provide any kind of explanation,” the newspaper reported.

According to the newspaper El Observador, this would be “the first time in the history of the Church in Uruguay that a bishop has had to resign over issues related to his private life.”