A French priest tasked with ‘curing’ sexually confused seminarians of their homosexuality has been accused of having sex with some of the young men in his care.

Four French seminarians have alleged that Monsignor Tony Anatrella, consultant with the Vatican on issues of sexuality, engaged in sexual acts with them during counselling session at his Paris office.

One of the men, Daniel Lamarca, claims Anatrella told him he could cure him of his “pseudo-homosexuality” by performing sex acts.

“You’re not gay, you just think that you are,” Anatrella reportedly told Lamarca, who visited him as a 23-year-old seminarian in 1987.

Lamarca, who alleged that the activity continued until a few years ago, also claimed that although he had reported Monsignor Anatrella to the archbishop of Paris in 2001, no action was taken against him, reports Towleroad.

When Lamarca made public his accusations in 2006, other men came forward with similar claims causing church officials to close ranks and dismiss the men as part of a “gay lobby” out to discredit the Church.

Another ex-seminarian alleges that several years into his counselling sessions with Anatrella, the Monsignor instituted “special sessions” which included episodes of mutual masturbation.

In addition to “counselling” homosexuals, reports NewNowNext, Anatrella was instrumental in helping Pope Benedict keep them out of the priesthood. Writing in Vatican daily L’Osservatore Romano, he wrote that that gay men are “narcissists” and “[homosexuality] is like an incompleteness and a profound immaturity of human sexuality.”

The Archdiocese of Paris acknowledged it had received a written complaint about Anatrella but the church could not pursue the matter because the complaint was made anonymously.

“The cardinal asked the priest to encourage the accusers to make personal contact and lodge a formal complaint,” said the Archdiocese in a statement.

Those claiming to have been the victim of sexual aggression “will be received and listened to, counselled on what to do next, and urged to file a complaint with the judicial authorities.”