BY Martin Dunlop | September 7 | comments icon 5 COMMENTS     print icon print

6-CARDINAL-ON-SECULARISM

Cardinal’s warning on same-sex marriage

Cardinal O'Brien will celebrate Mass for politicians this evening; Scottish bishops 'strenuously oppose' consultation to redefine marriage

Cardinal Keith O’Brien will tell Scottish politicians this evening that ‘the family and marriage existed before the State and are built on the union between a man and a woman.’

The cardinal, president of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, will celebrate a Mass for politicians this evening at St Patrick’s Church, Edinburgh, and, in reminding them that ‘it is part of their vocation as politicians to work towards this common good,’ the cardinal will say: “Any attempt to redefine marriage is a direct attack on a foundational building block of society.”

The cardinal’s comments come as the Scottish Bishops voiced their concerns over the Scottish Government’s consultation on redefining marriage to include same-sex couples, a consultation that the bishops made clear the Church ‘strenuously opposes’ and will respond to.

“We cannot overlook the importance of nurturing virtues of every person which takes place firstly and most directly in the family and for such reason we uphold the importance of the family which is the first building block of every society,” the cardinal will say in his homily this evening. “Equally, the Church esteems the institution of marriage as the most stable building block upon which any family can rest. The view of the Church is clear, no government can rewrite human nature; the family and marriage existed before the State and are built on the union between a man and woman.”

St Patrick’s Church in Edinburgh is the Catholic parish of the Scottish Parliament and is situated a short distance from the Parliament buildings. This evening’s Mass will begin at 6.30PM.

Comments - 5 Responses

  1. Philip M. McGhee says:

    His Eminence is not alone in affirming the perennial nature of marriage. In every state of USA,where this issue has been brought to a popoular plebiscite, the traditional definition of marriage has been upheld,by large margins. (In most of these states,the majority of voters is not Catholic.)

  2. Ignatius says:

    “The view of the Church is clear, no government can rewrite human nature; the family and marriage existed before the State and are built on the union between a white man and white woman.”

    What you used to say.

    In 50 years, you will claim to have championed gay rights and marriage equality. Just like you do for slavery now.

  3. M B Andrews says:

    The Catholic church in Scotland is massively out of step with Western Culture here.

    And that’s a very good thing. Because Western Culture is moving towards the destruction of family and community with every step it takes.

  4. Rico says:

    I think O’Brien is delusional if he thinks gay marriage will rewrite nature. Homosexuality is not a choice and is natural. It is the Church trying to rewrite nature by not accepting that homosexuality exists and is part of humanity. It is outrageous he thinks his organisation can dictate to everyone who they can and can love and marry, whether they are religious or not.

  5. NayLabour says:

    Everyone knows homosexuality exists – thats not the issue. The issue is same-sex marriage. This is another issue where secularists are pushing thier agenda – one that i find is particulalry anti-catholic at times.

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