The Vatican is denying rumors spread by the Italian media that the reason behind Pope Benedict's decision to resign is due to a number of clerics being blackmailed for being gay.

La Repubblica, an Italian newspaper has reported that individuals within the Vatican knew of the supposedly gay prelates (members of the Church that have achieved a high rank) and used that information to blackmail them. Although what exactly the blackmailers wanted is unclear.

Using unnamed sources La Repubblica reports that the prelates affairs took place in various location such as "a villa outside the Italian capital, a sauna in a Rome suburb, a beauty parlour in the centre, and a former university residence that was in use by a provincial Italian archbishop."

A senior Vatican analyst with CNN, John Allen commented in a piece he wrote for The National Catholic Reporter that "un-sourced speculation about a shadowy "gay lobby" within the Vatican should be taken with a grain of salt."

Allen added, "As I'm fond of saying, God love 'em, Italians have never seen a conspiracy theory they're not prepared to believe."

Rumors have spread suggesting that there is a secret network of gay Prelates operating within the Vatican. In his story Allen suggests this may in fact be true.

The Catholic Church is made up of a large group of people who hold certain beliefs on certain subjects. In major organizations not just the Catholic Church but also The United States Army, being gay was not generally accepted.

It would make sense for a group of people with a similar sexual orientation to gravitate toward one another, especially in an organization that not only frowns on homosexuality, but one in which the individual has taken a vow of celibacy.

No organization is without its share of scandals. The Roman Catholic is no stranger to scandal from child-molesting priests to the now "gay network" of Prelates.

Allen reports on a couple of incidents from years past that have also pointed to the possibility of gay prelates in the Church.

"2007, Msgr. Thomas Stenico in the Congregation for Clergy was suspended after being caught on hidden camera making contact with a young man posing as a potential "date" in gay-oriented chat rooms, then taking him back to his Vatican apartment. In 2010, a "Gentlemen of the Pope" named Angelo Balducci was caught in a wiretap trying to arrange sexual hookups through a Nigerian member of a Vatican choir."

The Vatican has its own opinions on the subject. They released a statement saying:

"It is deplorable that as we draw closer to the time of the beginning of the conclave ... that there be a widespread distribution of often unverified, unverifiable or completely false news stories that cause serious damage to persons and institutions."

Another spokesperson for the Vatican, Father Frederico Lombardi said, "Let each one assume his or her own responsibilities. We shall not be following up on the observations that are made about this."

Pope Benedict XVI gave his final address to the world on Sunday. He told his followers:

"The Lord is calling me to climb on to the mountain, but this does not mean abandoning the church. Actually, if God asks this of me, it is precisely because I can continue to serve her with the same dedication and the same love I have shown so far."