The Rt Rev Joseph Devine,70 is the Bishop of Motherwell in Scotland. Devine was giving a lecture entitled Sectarianism and Secularism: Bugbears for the Catholic Church in Scotland on March 11 when he made his comments. in Glasgow. Devine stated "It is ever present at the service each year for the Holocaust memorial, as if to create for themselves the image of a group of people under persecution."

Between 5,000 and 15,000 gay men were held in concentration camps by the Nazis as members of an "anti-social group."

Historians estimate that 60% of them died while incarcerated.

The bishop, who is president of the Catholic Education Commission in Scotland, added that he would "not tolerate" a child trying to come to terms with his or her homosexuality.

Last year Bishop Devine said he would close the Roman Catholic adoption agencies rather than help same-sex couples to adopt children. •Tim Moran