Cardinal Keith O’Brien, Britain’s most senior Catholic, has publically denounced the Governments plans to redefine marriage as “madness” and a “grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right.”
Writing for the Telegraph on 3 March, he described the proposed changes to marriage as an attempt to “redefine reality” and said:
“Can a word whose meaning has been clearly understood in every society throughout history suddenly be changed to mean something else?
“We are trying to redefine something which has been known and revered for centuries and making it something rather different. We’re taking standards which are not just our own but standards from the Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations where marriage is defined as a relationship between man and woman and turning that on its head.
“This universal truth is so self-evident that it shouldn’t need to be repeated. If the Government attempts to demolish a universally recognised human right, they will have forfeited the trust which society has placed in them and their intolerance will shame the United Kingdom in the eyes of the world.
“Since all the legal rights of marriage are already available to homosexual couples, it is clear that this proposal is not about rights, but rather is an attempt to redefine marriage for the whole of society at the behest of a small minority of activists.
“This is changing the whole notion of what marriage and what a family is. It affects children who are born, who have a right to a mother and father.
“No Government has the moral authority to dismantle the universally understood meaning of marriage.”
The Cardinal asked people to sign the Coalition for Marriage petition in support of traditional marriage.
Church Opposition
Catholic Bishops are now preparing a letter to be read at masses across England and Wales in order to mobilise the support of one million regular church-going Catholics. This would be one of only two times in modern history that a letter on behalf of all Catholic Bishops on a political matter would be issued.
Cardinal O’Brien’s statements add another voice from the highest levels of church leadership against the redefinition of marriage.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, said last week that human rights law “falls short of a legal charter to promote change in institutions”. His predecessor, Lord Carey, recently criticised the move to redefine marriage as being “one of the greatest political power grabs in history”.
Comment
Andrea Williams, CEO of Christian Concern, said:
"I am pleased that the Cardinal has shown such strong leadership on this issue. His clear stance has set an example for the rest of the church. Same-sex marriage is totally wrong and must be resisted. If marriage is redefined then we will have done the next generation a great disservice."
Sources
The Telegraph: Roman Catholic Church considers rallying faithful in gay marriage debate
The Telegraph: We cannot afford to indulge in this madness
The Telegraph: Catholics will be called to oppose gay marriage
Resources
Christian Concern: Sexual Orientation