Catholic Church in anti-gay marriage stance

By BBC - BBC NEWS - SCOTLAND
Added: Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:04:58 UTC

Thanks to Anvil for the link.

The Roman Catholic Church in Scotland has made its most outspoken attacks yet on proposals for same-sex marriage.

Bishop of Paisley Philip Tartaglia said a Scottish government which backed same-sex marriage did not deserve the support of the Catholic community.

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Bishop Tartaglia who welcomed Pope Benedict to Scotland last year said the church would not back same-sex marriage

His comments followed warnings from Cardinal Keith O'Brien and Archbishop of Glasgow Mario Conti.

The Scottish government said it was holding a consultation on whether same-sex marriage should be introduced.

It said its initial view was religious bodies should be permitted to introduce it, if they wished.

However, as part of the consultation, Bishop Tartaglia, who is tipped to be the next Archbishop of Glasgow when Mario Conti steps down, said such a measure would pile the pressure on any church which chose not to carry them out.

'Huge implications'
Bishop Tartaglia's comments came after the most senior Scottish catholic, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, said legalising same-sex marriage would "shame Scotland in the eyes of the world".

The cardinal said allowing such a change would have "huge implications" for society and would represent a "grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right".

He also accused ministers of being "disingenuous" and of "staggering arrogance" over suggestions that churches would not be obliged to solemnise gay marriages.

Archbishop Conti said at the weekend that same-sex marriages would be "meaningless".

The Archbishop of Glasgow said allowing gay couples to marry in a traditional sense would be pointless as it would not result in the creation of a "natural family".

In his submission to the Scottish government on the Consultation on Same Sex Marriage, Bishop Tartaglia said: "Marriage is an institution which does not owe its existence or rationale to governments or legislatures.

"Governments do not have the authority to say what marriage is or to change its nature or to decree that people of the same sex can marry."

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TAGGED: RELIGION, SOCIETY, VATICAN/ROMAN CATHOLICISM