BOSTON -- The Catholic Church is apologizing to the gay community after publishing a column in its newspaper that said there is a "real danger" that children of same-sex couples would bring pornography to school.

The controversy began June 4, when The Pilot published a column by Michael Pakaluk in response to a Hingham Catholic school's refusal to admit a child of lesbian parents.

In the column, Pakaluk said that "it seemed a real danger that the boy being raised by the same-sex couple would bring to school something obscene or pornographic … as they go along with the same-sex lifestyle, which -- as not being related to procreation -- is inherently eroticized and pornographic. He might expose other children to such things, as he might easily have encountered them in his household."

Pakaluk also argued that by welcoming gay families, Catholic schools could give children the impression that homosexuality is acceptable and give gay parents opportunities to "advocate for his lifestyle." He also said that gay parents should not be called "parents" unless they are biologically related to the children.

On Wednesday, the paper apologized to readers who may have been offended by the column.

"The tone of the piece was strong, and we apologize if anyone felt offended by it," Pilot editor Antonio M. Enrique said in a statement.

Enrique said the column does not necessarily reflect the views of the archdiocese or the paper, and that the "Catholic laity is well educated and can make up their minds on whether they agree or disagree with a particular opinion."

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation released a statement condemning the column's arguments.

"Michael Pakaluk’s article, 'Children in the custody of same-sex couples in parochial schools,' is full of misrepresentations of gay people," GLAAD said in a statement. "Other archdioceses will be looking to the Archdiocese of Boston for guidance and we are deeply concerned that all the children and families in this diocese and others will be treated fairly."

Pakaluk told the Boston Globe this week that the statement was a "weak argument."

“I think I probably would not make that point again, and I can see how it would be offensive,’’ he said.

Pakaluk is a former philosophy professor at Clark University and former visiting scholar at Harvard who now teaches in Virginia. He has been contributing to The Pilot since 2002.