Cardinal Antonio Cañizares has sparked controversy by claiming that abortion is a more condemnable act than sexual abuse.

Cardinal Cañizares, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, made his comments on a television programme on the TV3 channel in Rome this week, and although he admitted that the church had to "ask for forgiveness" for the sexual abuse suffered by children in Irish Catholic schools from the 1950s to 1980s, he insinuated that abortion was a more serious offence. "Abortion has legally destroyed the lives of more than 40 million human beings, when the law should be defending justice," he said, referring to the Spanish government's plans to reform the abortion law.


Spanish Health Minister Trinidad Jiménez condemned the Cardinal's remarks, calling them "inappropriate and irresponsible". "We're dealing with two completely different subjects, which shouldn't be compared. Victims of sexual abuse are usually defenceless children who are molested against their will, and the effects of this abuse are long-lasting," Jiménez stated.