Brazilian bishop resigns 4 days after video that appears to show him masturbating goes vira
A Brazilian bishop is resigning days after a video, which appeared to show him masturbating, emerged and went viral.
Bishop Tomé Ferreira da Silva, who oversaw the diocese in São José do Rio Preto, in the state of São Paulo, was reportedly seen in the video “half naked” and “caressing his sexual organ during a video call,” according to the Brazilian news site G1.
On Friday, the images were leaked and quickly circulated on social media. Dom Tomé, as the former bishop was known in Brazil, resigned just a few days after that.
Tomé Ferreira de Silva, the bishop of the Diocese of São José do Rio Preto, has previously been accused of sexual misconduct, mismanaging funds of the diocese and ignoring allegations of local priests abusing minors.
The local newspaper Diário da Região, which gained access to the video, said that images showed a naked Dom Tomé in a video conference call with another man.
On Friday the now-former bishop confirmed that it was indeed his image that appeared in the 80-second clip, but he declined to comment any further.
He also told a reporter that he wanted to know “how this video escaped from my cell phone and arrived at the newspaper.”
On Wednesday, the Brazilian bishops conference officially announced his resignation in a statement shared with the media, without providing any details.
The Holy See Press Office also released a statement that read, “The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of São José do Rio Preto, Brazil, presented by Bishop Tomé Ferreira da Silva, and has appointed Archbishop Moacir Silva, metropolitan of Ribeirão Preto, as apostolic administrator sede vacante of the diocese of São José do Rio Preto.”
According to G1, Dom José was investigated by the Vatican in 2018 for his role in the cover-up of alleged sexual scandals in his diocese. He was also accused of exchanging sexual messages with a minor.