This month, the Constitutional Assembly of Ireland is to discuss a referendum on legalizing gay marriage. Irish Bishops Conference (IBC) gave a tough warning to the Government against legalizing such unions.
Otherwise, the Catholic Church will refuse to support the state system of registration of marriages.
For Ireland this is a serious protest, because in order to be legally recognized, a marriage must be certified by one of the 5,600 members of the special register. Approximately 4,300 of them are Catholic priests who conduct nearly 70 percent of all wedding ceremonies. In the event that the threat is fulfilled, the system of marriage registration is expected to collapse.
The bishops wrote in their appeal that the legalization of same-sex marriage would lead to the relegation of the institution of marriage to any sexual relationship between two people, which threatens the survival of the family and society, the Irish Examiner quoted. The statement concluded that marriage would no longer be the institution that is the foundation of the family and society.
The Catholic bishops of Ireland also warned that the church would not be able to perform its civic duty in the event that the legal definition of marriage as the union of a man and a woman is changed.
Marriage is not a private shop, but a social institution, developed mainly in the interests of raising children, wrote the bishops. They refer to scientific studies that indicate that the best results in raising children are achieved by two parents – father and mother in a stable marriage.
This is the first organized protest of the Catholic Church, which is surprising for an Irish society that does not share the views of their guides. The survey conducted in late 2012 by the Institute of Millward Brown Lansdowne (MBL) showed that 75 percent of Irish people would say “yes” in a referendum on the legalization of gay and lesbian marriage.
In 2008, this number was 63 percent. Only people over 65 years of age demonstrated denial of this possibility. As for official adoption of children by same-sex couples, 54 percent of respondents believe that it should be allowed.
Politicians do not hear the voice of the Catholic Church of Ireland either. No major politician has expressed support for traditional values. On the contrary, Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland Eamon Gilmore called for the urgent implementation of the referendum. He believes it’s time for gays and lesbians to get access to the institution of marriage.
-continue reading at Pravda
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