New York's top Catholic leaders on Thursday said the city's decision to distribute 18 million free condoms as "tragic and misguided," saying that it degrades society and encourages promiscuity. The condom give-away took place on Valentine's Day at various locales, including a street corner in midtown Manhattan close to Saint Patrick's Cathedral.

New York Cardinal Edward Egan and Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn said in a joint statement released late Thursday: "Our political leaders fail to protect the moral tone of our community when they encourage inappropriate sexual activity by blanketing our neighborhoods with condoms.

"Although in their statements they give nod to the truth that only abstinence before marriage and fidelity within marriage are failsafe, by their actions they ignore that truth and degrade societal standards."

Mayor Bloomberg's spokesman Stu Loeser said in response: "With all due respect to Cardinal Egan and Bishop DiMarzio, we feel differently."

New York City's health department already has a condom program in place that costs the city $720,000 annually.

The city made a deal with the maker of the LifeStyles brand in which they are able to buy condoms for 4 cents a piece, and the health department gives out 1.5 million free condoms every month with the goal of combating sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies.