One of Mexico’s leading Catholic Cardinals has issued an apology to
the LGBT community on behalf of the Archdiocese for its offensive
anti-LGBT statements.They include an editorial published online that claimed that “a man’s anus is not designed to receive, only to expel.”
Cardinal Norberto Rivera asked for forgiveness for using “inadequate expressions” in reference to the gay community, and added that “it was never [his] intention to offend anyone.”
He even said that he would accept people “who are attracted to the same sex” into the church to have discussions with Catholic leaders.
It’s a sharp contrast to past remarks from the Cardinal, who has said that he would never apologise for his rhetoric regarding LGBT people, even if it offended them.
He called a Mexican marriage equality bill a “terrible stab in the back,” and urged gay Mexicans to “abstain from having sex.”
The Catholic Church in Mexico has generally opposed the country’s movement towards legalising same-sex marriage.
Under his supervision, Catholic weekly publication Desde La Fe published a graphic diatribe against gay relationships last summer.
“The human body is not designed for the homosexual relationship,” it said.
“The man’s anus is not designed to receive, only to expel. Its membrane is delicate, it tears easily and lacks protection against external agents that could infect it.
“The member that penetrates the anus hurts severely, causing bleeding, infections, and eventually incontinence, as with the continuous enlargement, the hole loses strength to close.”
Mexico City saw thousands of people march in protest against marriage equality earlier this year, which drew praise from the Pope.
Just this week saw a Bishop who thinks homosexuality is “evil” elected the mayor of Rio de Janeiro.