Priest’s ‘spiritual retreat on Costa Concordia

A ROMAN Catholic priest who told his parishioners he was going on a spiritual retreat is in fact a survivor from the Concordia cruise liner disaster, it emerged yesterday.

Father Massimo Donghi’s niece Elisabetta, who was with him on the ill-fated Concordia, posted on Facebook that she and all her family “including uncle Massimo” were safe and well.

The 41-year-old clergyman had told parishioners earlier this month that he was going on a “spiritual retreat” for a couple of weeks to reflect on his vows, as well as meditate and pray.

One local at Fr Donghi’s parish in Besana Brianza near Milan said: “It’s a bit difficult to understand how he was going to go on a spiritual retreat on board a cruise liner.”