Gay rights groups decry Mass. Catholic devil essay

BOSTON – Gay rights groups say they're pleased the oldest Roman Catholic newspaper in the United States has retracted an opinion column suggesting the devil may be responsible for gay attraction.

The column in the Boston archdiocese's The Pilot newspaper was titled "Some fundamental questions on same-sex attraction." It was written by an adviser at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. It said "scientific evidence of how same-sex attraction most likely may be created provides a credible basis for a spiritual explanation that indicts the devil."

The 182-year-old newspaper withdrew the online column Wednesday and posted the author's apology.

The gay Catholics group DignityUSA says the column was outrageous and inflicted "tremendous damage on the souls" of gay people.

The Human Rights Campaign said Thursday it's a shame the archdiocese ran a column ignoring the science about sexual orientation.