Daniel Westin has been relieved of his duties at Örslösa parish in western Sweden following his alcohol-fuelled antics on the US military base on the Italian island.
“It is a shock for me,” he said to the local Nya Lidköpings-Tidning daily.
Westin accompanied several Swedish soldiers to a bar in the vicinity of the base while dressed in uniform. He proceeded to drink excessively and resigned his post as military pastor the next day, returning home to Sweden.
When he received a warning from his superiors in the cathedral chapter, he thought that the matter had been dealt with.
So when the decision to terminate his employment was communicated on Friday, Westin was shocked.
“I had just been given a slap on the wrists,” he said to the newspaper.
“I rang around to the members of the church council to find out what had happened and I understand that they have felt that they were obliged to remain unanimous.”
According to Gunilla Carlsson at the church council, the decision took into account additional factors other than Westin’s Sicilian episode.
Westin has contested the decision and the union will enter negotiations with church employers on December 5th.
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