Cardinal George visits jail, hospital

December 25, 2011 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Francis Cardinal George made a few pastoral visits on Christmas Day and at one point explained the controversial remarks he recently made about the gay community and the Ku Klux Klan.

On his first stop Sunday morning, the cardinal celebrated mass with detainees at the Cook County Jail.

Later, he visited seriously ill children and their families at Children's Memorial Hospital.

In a recent interview, the cardinal commented on the route of Chicago's Gay Pride Parade, which might have forced a church to cancel mass.

He equated the views of some gay rights activists to that of the Klan. On Sunday, he softened those remarks.

"Obviously, it's absurd to say the gay and lesbian community are the Ku Klux Klan, but if you organize a parade that looks like parades that we've had in our past because it stops us from worshipping God, well then that's the comparison, but it's not with people and people - it's parade-parade," said George.

When the cardinal turns 75 next month, he must send a letter of resignation to Rome, as all bishops are required to do, and wait for the decision of the pope as to whether he will accept his resignation.

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