Perversion is a derogatory term for deviation from the original meaning or doctrine, or from what is perceived to be normal. A pervert is a person in a state of perversion. These terms have two common usages:
It often refers to "sexual perversion", more neutrally called a paraphilia.
The term perversion was also used in the pre-Vatican II era by some Roman Catholics to describe the process of converting from Roman Catholicism to Protestantism. Whereas a protestant who joined Roman Catholicism was described as a convert, a Catholic who became a Protestant was called a pervert. The phrase is no longer used by mainstream Catholicism, though a small conservative fringe do on occasion still use it.
... was ordained on May 24, 1864. On May 10, 1873, at his request, he was permitted to travel to Molokai to help the lepers who had virtually nothing to keep them warm or fed. ...