Bishop Leaves Priesthood To Marry Satanic Erotica Author

He was once the youngest bishop in all of Spain, but Xavier Novell i Gomà, 52, has given it all up in order to marry a woman. Back in September, the BBC reported that Novell had resigned from the Roman Catholic church for personal reasons that Spanish media reported revolved around a writer of sometimes Satanic-themed erotica, 38-year-old Silvia Caballol. The marriage reportedly took place last month. Now, the church has officially stripped Novell of his powers. In a statement translated by the Guardian, church officials acknowledged the marriage and said Novell is now forbidden from “exercising any of the rights and duties inherent to the episcopal office," though he may retain the title of bishop.

Novell's departure from the church punctuates a string of controversies that reportedly include his support of gay conversion therapy, participation in exorcisms, and support of Catalan independence. Novell, who has a background in agriculture, is now working at a company that specializing in in preparing pig semen for artificial insemination, per the BBC. His new wife works as a clinical psychologist when not writing heretical fiction such as The Hell of Gabriel's Lust. (More Catholic priest stories.)