Scottish Catholic Observer

MORE than 1000 priests have warned the UK Government that its plan to legalise same-sex ‘marriage’ could end religious freedom in the UK, as Catholics plan a wave of grassroots protests across the country.

David Cameron’s coalition Government could bring its bill to redefine marriage before parliament by the end of the month despite the furious backlash from the public, and Scottish MPs will be voting on the issue.

The priests’ open letter, one of the most widely supported of its kind, warns that the planned legislation will severely curtail their freedom to practise and speak publicly about their Faith.

The priests fear a return to persecution and say that government reassurances of protection for churches and Christians are ‘meaningless.’

“After centuries of persecution, Catholics have, in recent times, been able to be members of the professions and participate fully in the life of this country,” the priests write. “Legislation for same-sex ‘marriage,’ should it be enacted, will have many legal consequences, severely restricting the ability of Catholics to teach the truth about marriage in their schools, charitable institutions or places of worship. It is meaningless to argue that Catholics and others may still teach their beliefs about marriage in schools and other arenas if they are also expected to uphold the opposite view at the same time.”

The 1067 signatories include 13 bishops, among them Bishop Philip Egan of Portsmouth (above), Bishop Peter Brignall of Wrexham and Bishop  Malcolm McMahon of Nottingham.

The two most senior Catholic active clerics in England and Wales, Archbishops Vincent Nichols of Westminster and Peter Smith of Southwark, have issued a call for opponents to lobby their MPs ‘clearly, calmly and forcefully.’

Colin Hart, the Coalition for Marriage campaign director, said the government’s same-sex ‘marriage’ proposals were ‘undemocratic’ and MPs should expect to face the anger of their constituents.

The pro-life group the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) is targeting every state-maintained secondary school in England and Wales and encouraging them to voice opposition to the government’s bill.

The letter warns headteachers that the consequences of redefining marriage will include; the compulsory teaching of same-sex ‘marriage,’ dismissal for teachers with a conscientious objection to teaching about same-sex ‘marriage,’ no opt-out for faith schools and further promotion of homosexual activity in schools.

Concerns over religious freedom and the future of faith-based education have also been raised in Scotland, where First Minister Alex Salmond’s devolved government was the first UK-based legislative body to propose legalising same-sex ‘marriage.’

The Church and other groups have expressed serious doubt that the Scottish bill can offer the ‘protections so that religious and belief bodies do not have to take part’ that it promises to.

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-        This story was reported in full in the January 18 print edition of the SCO