The Lord is reputed to move in mysterious ways. However, few could have imagined the Almighty would advocate boxing as a way of spreading his message.

Few, perhaps, except those who have come into contact with Father Max Pusceddu whose south paw (or left hand to the uninitiated) is as famed as his sermons. Father Max, 32, regularly takes to the ring in middleweight bouts against all comers.

Hundreds of spectators regularly turn up for the boxing matches.

Father Max has won all his fights bar one. He uses the fights to promote his charity fund raising for a priests training college in the Congo and has been boxing since he was ten years old.

Yesterday he revealed how he had decided to become a priest when he was 17 after leaving his girlfriend. He said philosophically : “Goodness is hidden but evil is everywhere, the people are thirsty for God.”

SOunds great. But confession could get a little frightening when it comes to penance.