Magazine in hot water over lewd picture of priest

HOT Press magazine has come under fire for using a graphic picture of a priest masturbating.

The controversial illustration accompanies a two-page article on the role of Cardinal Josef Ratzinger before he became Pope Benedict XVI, and senior Irish clerics in investigating claims of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests.

On RTÉ’s Liveline radio programme, listeners aired their protestation at the image, which they said was damaging to the country’s priests.