Parents furious when Bishop upset children by telling them Santa doesn’t exist forcing church to apologize

A ROMAN Catholic diocese in Italy was forced to apologize after a bishop told a group of children that Santa Claus does not exist, angering parents.

Bishop Antonio Staglianò from the diocese of Noto in Sicily made the bomb statement while trying to explain the meaning of Christmas.

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The comments were made during an event held on the feast day of Saint Nicholas – a bishop who is the patron saint of children and has given gifts to the poor.

“No, Santa doesn’t exist,” Bishop told the children, based on Sicilian media.

“In fact, I’d like to add that the red color of his suit was chosen by Coca Cola exclusively for promotional purposes.”

The diocese’s communications director, Rev Alessandro Paolino, said that the bishop did not mean the remarks he made.

“First of all, on behalf of the bishop, I express my grief that this statement has disappointed young children and want to make it clear that Monsignor Stagliano’s intentions were completely different,” Rev Paolino wrote. on a Facebook post on Friday. .

He went on to say that people must not forget that the meaning of Saint Nicholas is based on the importance of giving, being generous and sharing.

“Certainly we must not destroy the imagination of children, but let’s draw good examples from that to be positive for life.

“So Santa Claus is an effective image to convey the importance of giving, generosity, sharing.

“But when this image loses its meaning, you see Santa Claus aka consumerism, the desire to own, buy, buy and buy back, then you have to revalue it by making it up to it. a new meaning.”

Some parents under the post rejected the apology made while others applauded the Bishop’s attempt to focus on the Catholic meaning of Christmas.

“I really wish more Christians would acknowledge the pagan origins of the Winter Solstice and stop pretending it had anything to do with the birth of Jesus,” one person said.

“The bishop of Noto did a great job,” said another.

“Enough with the consumerism that parents teach their children from an early age.”