Despite Pope Benedict’s previous comments distinguishing between pedophilia and homosexuality, the Vatican’s secretary of state has just come out citing homosexuality – as opposed to celibacy — as a related factor in the Catholic Church’s clergy sex abuse crisis.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone made the comments during a news conference yesterday in Chile, where one of the church’s abuse cases involves a priest having sex with young girls. (No irony there. Also, I don’t suppose that, although the Vatican is certainly keeping tabs on The New York Times these days, he caught the NYT magazine’s recent cover story about gay birds and bunnies?)

For more on this story:

• Vatican Cardinal Claims Homosexuality Associated With Pedophilia (Politics Daily)
• Anecdotes, data and definitions (GetReligion)
 

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