What do you expect from Jesuits?

Catholics have a very special love for Mary, Mother of God. We consider her our second Mother and she takes care of us.

That is why this story is so very disgusting.

Reuters: Condom-capped Madonna embarrasses Catholic weekly

By the by, the Jesuits have become a very Liberal, "Social-justice (of their own making)" group of radicals and social activists. This makes me very sad, as I was educated at the most wonderful Jesuit high school, where I often sub. It is still an excellent, Catholic school. The Jesuit University I attended is another story. The old Jesuits still teach the Catholic Church's beliefs, but the younger ones are Leftist wackos.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An advertisement for a statue of the Virgin Mary veiled in a condom has embarrassed the publishers of the U.S. Catholic magazine America, and prompted some heated comment on Catholic Web sites.

America, a weekly run by the Jesuit order of priests, said in a statement it was embarrassed and offended by the ad, which it said had been published unknowingly in its December 5 edition.

The apparent prank by a London-based artist offered what he called the "Extra Virgin" statue for sale, "a stunning ... statue of the Virgin Mary standing atop a serpent wearing a delicate veil of latex."

A colour photograph showed a statue of magenta-robed Mary, who according to Christian teaching was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus, covered with a translucent but visible condom.

America's editors offered a statement of apology: "We were embarrassed to have readers call our attention to the offensive advertisement that escaped our unknowing eyes and appeared in the December 5 issue ... The offence was compounded when we learnt in the advertiser's reply to a concerned reader that he had intended his art as an assault on Catholic faith and devotion.

"We have taken several steps to tighten our advance review of advertising and express our outrage to the artist."

The problem came about because America's editors only saw the ad in black and white before it was published, and the condom was not as evident, according to the magazine's associate editor, Rev. James Martin.

"When our ad person saw it in black and white, she didn't see anything," Martin said in a telephone interview. "When I got the magazine in colour, I noticed the ad, I thought it was a little odd, but we regularly get ads for all sorts of strange religious art."

Right. Except we all know that the Jesuits are Liberals and their magazine is Liberal. But I'm sure it was a mistake (to get found out).

Another issue may be Catholic priests' unfamiliarity with what condoms look like.

"VEIL OF LATEX"

"We're Jesuits," Martin said. "I don't think you could have found anyone in the editors' room who has seen a condom." The mention of a "veil of latex" failed to register, he said.

Don't make me laugh. Jesuits aren't born as Jesuits. And nor are they perfect after becoming priests. In a world where sexual images and inuendo is all around, how does one escape seeing such a thing? Jesuits don't live in monasteries, cloistered away from the world.

The ruckus prompted a critical column on the Web site of the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera, which also ran the picture with the caption: "Mary's veil? A condom."

"All of this has happened in a Church like the one in America, which has been reduced to bankruptcy and universal loathing by a body of clergy which, it seems, too often likes to fondle the genitals of seminary students," the column said.

America magazine was in hot water in May, when its previous editor, Rev. Thomas Reese, quit under Vatican pressure after printing articles examining issues such as gay priests, Vatican secrecy or the use of condoms to prevent AIDS.

The Catholic Church opposes all forms of contraception, which means it does not approve condoms even if used to help prevent the spread of AIDS. At the same time, the Church runs many hospitals and clinics to help AIDS victims.