Did KZN Catholic priest quit the church to marry a nun? | IOL News

Durban - A Catholic priest has reportedly resigned from the church to marry his lover, a former nun, with whom he allegedly has a 21-year-old daughter. 

The claims were made in an article by Isolezwe on Friday. According to Isolezwe, the couple had a white wedding as well as a traditional wedding at the priest’s home in Mthwalume, on the KZN south coast. 

A close family relative told Isolezwe that the priest had informed the family in 2013 that he was being investigated by the church. The priest never disclosed to the family what he was being investigated for.

“Over time I heard from another priest that the church was investigating him for allegedly being married to a nun. I asked him about this and he denied it, and I asked him why is it that this nun, who disappeared from the church and that they suspect is married to him, every time we have functions at home she is always there and some people even see them together at places like the Pavillion Shopping Centre in Westville,” said the relative. 

The source was told by the priest, that he and the former nun were “just friends”. 

The relative revealed that the two had met in Pietermaritzburg, where the nun had been residing at a local church while completing a course. 

The source said on November 10th, they received a text message on WhatsApp from the priest, revealing that he had decided to quit.

“I told them we would come with some congregants to see him. Before we had even discussed when this would be, I started hearing that he is going to get married. 

“When I called him to set the date, I told him I would come on the Saturday that I had heard that he is getting married on and he said he would be busy that day, we must not come,” he said.

Isolezwe reported that a photo of the couple saying their vows in the company of a 21-year-old woman, alleged to be their daughter, had been circulated on social media. 

Attempts to reach the priest by phone were not successful.

Father Paul Manci of the Mariannhill parish told Isolezwe that he knew of the priest in question, but he was not aware if he had stepped down or not.

He referred media queries to the Cardinal’s office and claimed he was not allowed to speak to the media.

When Isolezwe approached the Cardinal’s office, they were told it was his rest day and said Manci was allowed to speak to the media.

When the publication returned to Manci, he said he could not comment on the matter because he did not know the merits of the matter.

• Isolezwe elected to not name the priest and the nun in question.