Vatican Official Calls for Protections for Same-Gender Couples

Over the course of the past year or so, we’ve witnessed a slow evolution in Catholic hierarchical thinking on marriage for same-gender couples.  Recently in France and Great Britain, bishops’ groups  have spoken more positively about same-gender couples than they had before.  In Germany and Italy, individual bishops have made positive statements about same-gender couples.  Even here in the U.S., Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George made surprisingly positive statement about love between people of the same gender, even though he opposed Illinois’ marriage bill.

Archbishop Vincent Paglia

Today, the positive statement on same-gender relationships comes from the Vatican itself.  The National Catholic Reporter stated:

“A high-ranking Vatican official on Monday voiced support for giving unmarried couples some kind of legal protection even as he reaffirmed the Catholic church’s opposition to same-sex marriage.

“Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, head of the Pontifical Council for the Family, also said the church should do more to protect gays and lesbians from discrimination in countries where homosexuality is illegal.

“In his first Vatican press conference since his appointment as the Catholic church’s “minister” for family, Paglia conceded that there are several kinds of ‘cohabitation forms that do not constitute a family,’ and that their number is growing.

Paglia suggested that nations could find ‘private law solutions’ to help individuals who live in non-matrimonial relations, ‘to prevent injustice and make their life easier.’ “

Paglia also spoke forcefully opposing discrimination and criminalization of homosexuality:

“Responding to journalists’ questions, Paglia also strongly condemned discrimination against gay people, who he said ‘have the same dignity as all of God’s children’

” ‘In the world there are 20 or 25 countries where homosexuality is a crime,’ he said. ‘I would like the church to fight against all this.’ “

While these positive remarks are welcome, it must also be said that Paglia still strongly opposed marriage equality:

” ‘The church must defend the truth, and the truth is that a marriage is only between a man and a woman,’ he said. Other kinds of ‘affections’ cannot be the foundation for a ‘public structure’ such as marriage.

” ‘We cannot surrender to a sick egalitarianism that abolishes every difference,’ he warned, and run the risk of society becoming a new ‘Babel.’ “

Despite the continued intransigence on marriage equality,  I think it is important to note that the archbishop’s comments represent a giant step forward in terms of Vatican recognition of same-gender couples.  Even just a month ago, when the pope made harsh statements against same-gender relationships in his World Peace Day message, one could not have imagined a Vatican official making such positive comments as Paglia did.  His comments are a small change, but all change happens little by little.

–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry

Marriage Equality a Closer Reality in Britain, But What Will the Consequences Be?

British House of Commons

A first vote on Britain’s “Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill” could occur as early as today. In recent weeks, the nation’s Catholic bishops, who oppose the bill, have also been raising questions about what a successful vote extending civil marriage rights would mean for the Catholic Church.

As part of their opposition strategy, the British Catholic hierarchy distributed a million postcards at Masses last weekend in hopes that parishioners would express their anti-equality opposition to Members of Parliament. The Telegraph reports Catholic bishops are hopeful they can inspire opposition because each of Britain’s three main political parties promised a “free vote”, meaning members are able to vote outside of the party line.

The bishops also also released a document to Parliament condemning marriage equality and detailing the, by now, usual list of threats that equal rights are supposed to pose to society. Pink News reports the inclusion of more positive language on the part of the bishops, hinting as well that progress by the hierarchy is possible given changes in their past positions:

“The Catholic Church in England and Wales has made a surprising acknowledgement that same-sex couples make good parents…

“The document says: ‘We recognise that many same sex couples raise children in loving and caring homes…’

“The Catholic Church opposed the introduction of same-sex civil partnerships but it seems now to support the maintenance of a separate relationships system for same-sex couples.”

On the other hand, the bishops’ more positive message has been weakened by their predictions for the future. If the marriage equality bill is successful, the Catholic hierarchy promises devastating consequences for the rights of same-gender couples. A recent booklet affirms that educators and administrators not adhering to the hierarchy’s teaching on marriage could suffer consequences for continued employment in church institutions. Pink News reports on the booklet’s details:

“The guidance, sanctioned by the Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, says that teachers in Catholic schools should not marry divorcees, marry in registry offices or in other civil ceremonies (such as civil partnerships) that do not meet the Catholic Church’s approval.

“[The booklet] says that senior teachers in “a partnership of intimacy with another person, outside a form of marriage approved by the church…can be removed from office.”

The relationship between Catholic education and the British government is a point of contention for both sides. While British law protects employees from discrimination based upon sexual orientation, which has stopped previous diocesan firings of gay employees, religious exemptions also exist.

If marriage equality becomes legalized, England will experience an interesting tension between the rights of religions and the rights of individuals. Relevant organizations are not waiting for the results of this marriage battle to express their criticisms. In addition to the bishops arguing from the political right, some on the political left question how the new law would fit with existing British law:

“The European Commission is already considering whether British laws governing faith schools breach European education directives.

“Commenting on the [bishops'] booklet, the Department for Education said: ‘This is a matter for schools and their governors. Faith schools can consider whether a person’s conduct is in line with their religious values when dismissing teachers. However schools must also comply with employment law.’”

Bondings 2.0 will continue to update our readers as the British bill proceeds.

–Bob Shine, New Ways Ministry