MADRID — Spain’s newly chosen Catholic cardinal has described homosexuality as a “defect” within ones body, akin to high blood pressure, that can be corrected with treatment.
Most Rev. Fernando Sebastian Aguilar, 84, claimed in an interview with Malaga newspaper Diario Sur that “Homosexuality is a deficient way of manifesting sexuality, because sexuality has a structure and an objective which is procreation.”
The interview was published Sunday, a week after the Spaniard was named as one of 19 new cardinals chosen by Pope Francis who are to be officially appointed February 22, reports AFP.
“We have a lot of defects in our bodies. I have high blood pressure. Am I going to get angry because they tell me that? It is a defect I have that I have to correct as far as I can,” said Sebastian, who is the archbishop emeritus of the northern city of Pamplona.
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Spain’s main opposition Socialist Party said in a statement Monday that Sebastian’s comments “perpetuate the discrimination and violence that exists in many countries” against LGBT people.