Spanish bishop resigns because of love for woman who writes Satanic-tinged erotic fiction

The bishop of Solsona in Spain has allegedly resigned from his post after falling in love with a woman who writes Satanic-tinged erotic fiction.

When Xavier Novell, known for his conservative views, including favouring conversion therapy, stepped down in August, the Roman Catholic Church cited “strictly personal reasons.” Now, a month later it has come to light that he ditched the “vow of celibacy” for love.

The diocese of Solsona announced that the decision was made freely in accordance with the canon law, which states that a bishop “who has become less able to fulfil his office because of ill health or some other grave cause is earnestly requested to present his resignation from office."

The former bishop has fallen for psychologist and novelist Silvia Caballol. According to Catholic news website Religion Digital, he told a friend: "I have fallen in love with a woman, for the first time in my life, and I want to do things well." He is now looking for a job in Barcelona as an agronomist.

Ms Caballol has authored the 'Amnesia trilogy' and 'The Hell of Gabriel’s Lust', where she delves into the topics of sadism and "the raw struggle between good and evil, god and Satan and angels and demons".

Mr Novell, now 52, became Spain's youngest bishop at the age of 41 in 2010 and was seen as a rising star of the Catholic Church. He is said to have met the Pope and share a good rapport with other Vatican officials.

The bishop's move to denounce the Church has irked his former colleagues, who told the Spanish media that they believed Mr Novell was “possessed by demons.” The situation is “not a problem of celibacy but rather of infestation,” a member of the diocese was quoted as saying.

However, speculations are rife that the actual reason behind Mr Novell's resignation is politics. The outspoken bishop had been making headlines for his support for Catalan independence. He was reportedly the only prelate to vote in the 2017 referendum on secession and visited some pro-independence leaders, who were in jail for sedition.

Following news of his resignation, a former member of Catalonia's parliament Josep Rull tweeted: "Bishop Novell has always been on the side of the political prisoners with words and, above all, deeds, making him one of the few exceptions in the Catalan Church hierarchy."

“And I think as a Catholic: it doesn’t make sense that chaplains can’t get married or that women can’t be priests. In the middle of the 21st century, reversing it is simply unavoidable," he added.

Meanwhile, the Vatican has appointed the bishop of Vic Roma Casanova as the apostolic administrator of the diocese.

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