Catholic cardinal says gays are sexual perverts.
A BELGIAN cardinal who is a personal protege of Pope John Paul II denounced gays and lesbians as "sexual perverts" yesterday and appeared to ridicule the principle of one man, one vote, causing deep embarrassment to the Catholic Church.
"I am prepared to sign here in my blood that of all those who say they are lesbian or gay, at most five to 10pc are effectively lesbian or gay. All the rest are sexual perverts," said Cardinal Gustaaf Joos.
"I demand you write this down. If they come to protest on my doorstep, I don't care. I'm just speaking out on what thousands of people are thinking but never get a chance to say," he told the Belgian soft-porn 'P-Magazine'.
"Real homosexuals don't wander in the streets in colourful suits. Those are people who have a serious problem and have to live with that. And if they err, they will be forgiven," he said.
He expressed contempt for Belgian politicians who had pushed through some of the world's most avant-garde laws on gay marriages, euthanasia, and abortion.
"Politics, democracy. Don't make me laugh. The right to vote, what is that all about? I find it strange that a snot-nosed, 18-year-old has the same vote as a father of seven. One has no responsibilities whatsoever, the other provides tomorrow's citizens," he said.
It is the first time a leading cleric has endorsed calls by right-wing Catholics for an end to the principle of one person, one vote.
Belgium's bishops' conference tried to calm the furore as the country's media seized on the comments, saying the cardinal's personal views did not reflect Church policy.
The Episcopal hierarchy has no power to sanction Cardinal Joos (80), a parish priest who was plucked from obscurity in October by the Pope to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his pontificate.
The two men bunked together in Rome just after the end of the Second World War. (© Daily Telegraph, London)
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