South Park upsets Roman Catholics

Roman Catholics in the USA have condemned cartoon comedy South Park for showing a statue of the Virgin Mary having a period.

The episode was broadcast on 7th December 2005 on the Comedy Central network in the United States and the Comedy Network in Canada, the day before the Roman Catholic Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and has yet to be shown in the UK

The cartoon has been screened only once in the States with plans to repeat it abandoned after furious protests from the Roamn Catholic community.

In a statement issued Dec. 8, the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights demanded that Viacom, Comedy Central's parent company, issue an apology and pledge to permanently retire the episode and not make it available on DVD.

Viacom board member Joseph Califano Jr. also condemned the episode after viewing it on December 9th and said,

"I found it an appalling and disgusting portrayal of the virgin Mary. It is particularly troubling to me as a Roman Catholic that the segment has run on the eve and day of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day for Roman Catholics."

He called for a review of the show by Viacom president and chief executive Tom Freston.