Gay People Have "Sexual Deficiency" Pope Francis's New Cardinal Provokes Fury

Express
January 20, 2014

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/454970/Gay-people-have-sexual-deficiency-Pope-Francis-s-new-cardinal-provokes-fury

Pope Francis has made Fernando Sebastian Aguilar his new cardinal [EPA]

Spaniard Fernando Sebastian Aguilar was dubbed a dinosaur after likening homosexuality to his high blood pressure.

He claimed in an interview with Malaga-based newspaper Diario Sur: "Homosexuality is a deficient way of manifesting sexuality, because sexuality has a structure and an objective which is procreation.

"Homosexuality, which cannot achieve this objective, is failing.

"This is not an insult for anyone. In our body we have many deficiencies."

He added: "Saying homosexuals suffer a deficiency is not an offence, it's a help because many cases of homosexuality can be recovered and normalised with the appropriate treatment."

The 84-year Archbishop emeritus of Pamplona, one of 19 new cardinals named by Pope Francis last week, went on to reveal he had high blood pressure which he sees as "a deficiency I have to correct as I can."

His claims, which follow Pope Francis' assertion last year gay people should not be marginalised but integrated into society, were immediately attacked by local politicians.

The Pope elevated the controversial archbishop to the rank of cardinal in recognition of his life-long service to the church, although he is not among the 16 cardinals who were given voting rights and will one day elect his successor.

Maria Gamez, spokesman for the left-wing PSOE party in Malaga, said: "These are not the winds of change that appear to be blowing from the Vatican.

"Pope Francis seemed to have distanced himself from these retrograde, insulting and anti constitutional theses.

"He should be asking himself whether a cardinal like this is helping the regeneration he defends."

Soon after his election last March, the Pope reaffirmed the Roman Catholic Church's position homosexual acts were sinful, but homosexual acts were not.

Responding to questions from reporters on a flight back from Brazil about whether there was a "gay lobby" in the Vatican, he said: "If a person is gay and seeks God who am I to judge?"

US gay and lesbian magazine the Advocate named him 2013 person of the year.

Aguilar, the only Spaniard among the 19 new cardinals, insisted the Pope's message about gay people had been manipulated.

He said: "All he is doing is offering comprehension and compassion and showing a desire to welcome those who have gone astray."