"Eyewitness claims Fr. Thomas Rosica spent 2 hours in homosexual bathhouse"

"An eyewitness has told LifeSiteNews that he saw Father Thomas Rosica enter a Toronto bathhouse last Sunday and leave two hours later.

Shane D’Costa, a former member of Toronto’s Newman Centre, says he recognized the former CEO of Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation when he saw him on Dundas Street West on the afternoon of June 9. Wanting to speak to the Basilian priest, D’Costa followed him for 'about two minutes' through the crowded street before seeing him disappear through the door of 'Splash Steam and Sauna' at 1610 Dundas Street West. The younger man waited until the priest left the building two hours later and then confronted him.

D’Costa told LifeSiteNews that he decided to wait for Rosica in the doorway of the establishment so that he couldn’t slip away unseen through the crowds attending the Dundas Street West festival that day. D’Costa said he had never seen the place before, but while waiting it dawned on him that the place was a sauna for homosexual men.

'It’s only when I’m waiting for two hours that I noticed that it’s just gay men going in and coming out,' D’Costa told LifeSiteNews. 'And I figured out that there must be a gay bathhouse. And then when I got home, I checked on the internet, and I confirmed that it was.'

In this situation, 'bathhouse' appears to be a euphemism. In its online advice to straight men who might wish to visit their premises, Splash Steam and Sauna’s website warns, 'Please be aware there is a certain degree of sexual activity common throughout the premises. Also, some rooms feature video materials that are pornographic in nature.' According to its website, the establishment includes a 'steam room, dry sauna, showers, locker room, dark room, and video/orgy room, as well as the front television lounge.'

The eyewitness said that the priest was not wearing clericals or any kind of religious insignia. Although he had not seen him in 20 years, D’Costa recognized Rosica by his 'very distinctive face.' D’Costa also said that when Rosica came down the stairs and out the door of the establishment, he addressed him.

'I said his name: ‘Thomas Rosica! How are you?’ And he looked at me and he said, ‘Oh, hi. Who are you?’ And I said, ‘Hi. I’m Shane D’Costa from the Newman Centre.’'

The younger man then told Rosica what he had planned to say to him since he spotted him, which was that he 'should be nicer to people.' To this, Rosica apparently responded, 'Oh, thank you. Thank you.'

D’Costa then said, 'I’m very happy that Dorothy Cummings (McLean) outed you as a plagiarist,' and explained that he had known the LifeSiteNews staffer since high school.

To this, Rosica apparently also said, 'Thank you.'

'And now we’re going to out you going to gay bathhouses, having anonymous gay sex,' D’Costa told him, at which point, he said, Rosica hurried away into the crowded street.

'That was it for me,' D’Costa told LifeSiteNews. 'I wasn’t trying to say anything more. That was it. I said what I said.'

LifeSiteNews contacted Rosica at Presentation Manor for Seniors, his current post. Asked what he was doing at the bathhouse, he denied that he had been there.

'I was away. I wasn’t here,' he said in panicked tones. 'I was not here. I’ve been away. I’ve been away. I just came back from Israel.'

He hung up the phone as LifeSite was asking if he had his flights and itinerary to show that.

LifeSiteNews then contacted Rosica’s superior as a Basilian priest, Father Kevin Storey. Fr. Storey said that he did not know about Rosica’s visit to the bathhouse, and he did not know if Rosica was in Israel on June 9. He advised the media outlet that the eyewitness should contact the Basilians’ case manager for sexual allegations, Father David Katulski.

D’Costa contacted LifeSiteNews through social media on the evening of June 9 and later told an editor that he would be happy to sign a detailed affidavit about the encounter. He gave a full interview on Monday, July 17. Told that Rosica had denied being in the bathhouse, D’Costa said that he was 100 percent sure that he saw Rosica enter and exit Splash Steam and Sauna and would be willing to swear to it in court. He was not interested in making a report to Katulski.

The Canadian government’s travel advisory, last updated on June 6, warns against non-essential travel to Israel.