A catholic nun in Italy has given birth to a healthy baby boy whom she named Francesco (Francis), after the new pope. The nun reportedly called for an ambulance on Wednesday morning after experiencing abdominal pains, which she thought were normal stomach pains. Lo and behold, she was actually pregnant, delivering a 9-pound baby.

Roxana Rodriguez is a native of El Salvador, but belongs to Campomoro convent in Italy. “I did not know I was pregnant. I only felt a stomach pain,” said the 31-year-old Rodriguez.

While at the hospital in Rieti, she started receiving clothing and donations from other new mothers. Her sister nuns expressed surprise at the news that one of their own was pregnant. Catholic nuns, and indeed priests, take vows of chastity, meaning she’s broken one of the cardinal rules of the convent by becoming pregnant — unless maybe, this was an immaculate as she claims.

“It’s not possible. I’m a nun,” she told the hospital when asked whether she was aware of the pregnancy. However, the nun has said she plans on keeping her child.

The local pastor Don Fabrizio Borello said he believed the nun’s assertion that she was unaware of the pregnancy.”I guess she’s telling the truth when she says she arrived at the hospital unaware of the pregnancy.” However, the Bishop of Rieti, Delio Lucarelli has said the nun will have to lead a secular life outside the religious life.

“It would be preferable that she now lead a secular life with her baby, away from religious institutions,” read a statement from the bishop.

The mayor of Rieti, Simone Petrangeli, has asked that reporters and the general public respect Rodriguez’s privacy. This news has, no doubt, embarrassed the church which is already embroiled in sex scandals involving priests. So was this an immaculate conception? Who knows?

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