Priest disciplined for marching in gay event

VATICAN — Roman Catholic authorities have disciplined a priest who defied the Vatican by marching in a controversial World Pride Parade in Rome last month, church sources said.

The sources said Vitaliano Della Sala was ordered to make no more public statements about homosexuality and barred from taking part in any public, civil or religious event outside his parish unless given permission by his superiors.

Della Sala, who traveled to Rome from his parish of Sant’Angelo a Scala in the southern city of Avellino east of Naples, was the only priest known to have marched in the parade July 8 of an estimated 70,000 gays, lesbians and transsexuals, their families and supporters.