Bertone, shame on you! (oppure: have you no shame?)

The equation between homosexuality and paedophilia is a false, despicable and anti-scientific statement that affects the lives and dignity of millions of gay and lesbian people. It confirms the cynicism and cruelty of the Vatican hierarchies, which have covered sex crimes committed by members of the church for years throughout the world against thousands of innocent boys and girls.

Of those brutally raped bodies, of those destroyed childhoods, the Catholic church bears a full and shameful responsibility. It will not be by trying to divert the attention from its glaring contradictions and its inner conspiracy of silence that the Vatican will escape a firm sentence for its sexual abuses, which have already been widely reported worldwide against paedophile priests.

"We are outraged by Bertone’s words in Chile: the Catholic church must not attempt to get rid of its sins to the detriment of innocent people. It should rather wonder about its lack of humanity" - said Paolo Patanè, Chairman of Arcigay, the Italian lesbian and gay association.

"Arcigay had chosen not to mark even more the horror of the appalling scandal of the many child abuses committed by Catholic priests. But it was a mistake to think that thousands of complaints throughout the world were enough. The words of the Vatican’s Secretary of State have confirmed that these clergymen simply don’t care about offending the good faith of millions of believers, whom they say they represent. They are spreading false news that continue to strip many people of their dignity and cause violence and discrimination, rather than seriously trying to remedy their crimes with humility. This shocking lack of humanity "- Patanè concludes -"requires a strong condemnation from the whole civil society."

Arcigay - Italian lesbian and gay association
www.arcigay.it - international@arcigay.it