Father António Julio, suspected of sexually abusing a 44-year-old man with cognitive impairment and whose guardian he was, returned to celebrate Mass in Vila Nova de Foz Coa. The church acquitted the priest for lack of evidence, but the case is still in court. The supposed victim does not forgive the parish priest. “He was celebrating again and I’m hiding,” says the alleged victim as he awaits justice. “In addition to doing services for the Church, he asked me for sexual relations, oral sex or touching my genitals,” he says. As reported by RTP, the abuse continued for seven years, sometimes in the rectory of Numao, sometimes in the parish hall or even in the sacristy. The alleged victim also claims that the priest wanted to force him into various sexual practices. The priest reportedly told him: “We’ll have to have anal sex together, you’ll see, you’ll like it.” He also says that when he refused, the priest threatened to tie him to the bed. It was then that he decided to tell everything to his niece, who filed a complaint against the priest. In October 2022, the priest was detained by the SP. The SP then published a note saying that the parish priest was “seriously charged with human trafficking and sexual abuse of a person incapable of resisting.” He was heard by a judge, released and presented to the authorities every two weeks. He was later suspended by the diocese of Lamego, which is the subject of canonical proceedings, and due to lack of evidence returned to practice in October last year. “I have a clear conscience and am glad to return to my role in the Church. I was away for a whole year, but the Bishop of Lamego and the Vatican advised me to return. Despite this, I know that the Church will take into account the decision of the civil court, but I am not afraid of anything because I have not done anything wrong,” he told reporters on Saturday. CM Father António Julio, 63, presides over eight parishes in the municipality of Vila Nova de Foz Coa.