Don Alberto Ravagnani, dubbed the 'influencer priest' online, said he was frustrated by the church’s policy that priests abstain from sex and physical intimacy.
“I find it hypocritical that my affectivity, my sexuality and my ability to have a relationship with someone else is not considered beautiful,” he said.
Having come to faith aged 17, Ravagnani was ordained aged 25 and gained an online following during the pandemic.
He has 300,000 followers on Instagram, and was part of the Jubilee of Catholic Digital Missionaries and Influencers last year.
In a YouTube video, Ravagnani said he felt like the “luckiest priest in the world” as he travelled and met young Christians, plus non-believers, who gave him new perspectives on the church.
“Being with other priests or in church contexts, I struggled to feel in tune with certain ways of thinking. I had many doubts. The questions from young people shattered many certainties, and so I went into crisis,” he said.
He admitted he “couldn’t really respect” the church’s teaching on celibacy for priests, and struggled with the “inhuman” expectations put on clergy.
Ravagnani said he will find peace knowing he “will continue my mission, to follow [his] vocation”, and that while he wouldn’t be a priest his “heart will be the same”.
It’s expected he will continue his work with young people and his writing.
On Instagram, Ravagnani has shared videos from Christian raves, answering questions about the Catholic Church and faith.
Last year, he was criticised for brand deals promoting health supplements on his social media platforms.