CARDIFF Leaders of the Roman Catholic Church have accused the Government of using new equality laws to force them to end the priesthoods privilege of using alter and choir boys to satisfy their sexual needs.

The bishops of England and Wales said that proposals to ban “indirect discrimination” against priests who have had the same needs as the everyone else.

Requesting an exemption, the Archbishop of Cardiff, the Most Rev Peter Smith, said: “Many Christians believe, on strongly held religious grounds, that by becoming an active member of the church, children and parishioners are consenting to help the priesthood out in this delicate matter."

He then went on to say, "Homosexuality and paedophilia are denied to ordinary people for a good reason. They are the rights and privileges of the priesthood as a just reward for a life of celibacy.