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Catholic Church’s opposition to
gay marriage non-negotiable, stresses
Pope
BY A CORRESPONDENT
March 13, 2007:
 Pope
Benedict XVII has re-affirmed the
Catholic Church’s rule of celibacy for
priests and described the Church’s
opposition to gay marriage as
“non-negotiable”.
The Pope also stressed that Catholic
politicians have a moral duty to
oppose laws favouring gay marriage as
well as laws on abortion and
euthanasia.
The Pope’s preaching are contained in
a 140-page booklet issued on March 13,
2007, on the workings of a synod that
took place at the Vatican in 2005 on
the theme of the Eucharist.
In the document, named Apostolic
Exhortation, Pope Benedict says that
all believers have to defend what he
calls the fundamental values but that
the duty is “especially incumbent” on
those in positions of power.
The Pope said these included “respect
for human life, its defence from
conception to natural death, the
family built on marriage between a man
and a woman, the freedom to educate
one’s children, and the promotion of
the common good in all its forms.”
“These values are not negotiable,” the
Pope stressed.
“Consequently, Catholic politicians
and legislators, conscious of their
grave responsibility before society,
must feel particularly bound, on the
basis of a properly formed conscience,
to introduce laws inspired by values
grounded in human nature,” the Pope
said.
Gay marriage is legal in several
European countries, including the
Catholic-predominant Spain.
Italy is at present severely divided
over the issue of whether or not to
give more rights to unmarried couples,
including homosexuals.
The Pope’s words in the document are
also applicable to countries such as
the United States, where some Catholic
politicians have said they are
personally opposed to abortion but
felt bound to support pro-choice
legislation because they represent
many people.
Some bishops in the United States have
refused to give Communion to Catholic
politicians who back abortion rights.
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