New Zealand bishops call 'South Park' episode 'derisive, outrageous'

Published: 2006-02-22

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (CNS) -- New Zealand Catholic bishops and other religious leaders have called a controversial "South Park" episode "derisive, outrageous and beyond all acceptable standards of decency and good taste." Officials from CanWest, the Canadian company that operates the "South Park" broadcaster C4, ran the episode Feb. 22 -- 11 weeks ahead of schedule -- despite a request from bishops and other religious leaders. The episode, first was shown Dec. 7 in the United States, is titled "Bloody Mary." During the episode, a "South Park" character claims to have been sprayed with blood from a bodily orifice of a Virgin Mary statue. When Pope Benedict XVI investigates in the show, he declares that Mary was merely menstruating. Lyndsay Freer, communications director for the New Zealand bishops' conference, said the episode "is offensive not only to Catholics, but also to people of other faiths and women in general."

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