New legislation on same-sex unions will cause 'breakdown of society', says bishop
Sunday July 11 2010
A LEADING Catholic Bishop has hit out at the Civil Partnership Bill, warning that it will lead to a breakdown of society and more crime.
Bishop of Elphin Christopher Jones also claimed the bill, which gives legal status to cohabitees and gay couples, goes against the Constitution, which has recognised marriage "through the decades".
"That means that our State or our Government is obliged to protect and care for marriage and for family founded on marriage," he said.
The bill passed all stages in the Dail without a vote on July 1 and became law last Thursday night when the Seanad voted in favour by 48 to four.
Three Fianna Fail senators opposed it, claiming that it weakened the special status of the family and marriage in Irish law and independent Ronan Mullen tried to talk it out of time.
But in a wide-ranging attack on the new law, Bishop Jones said: "Today we all know stories of drugs delinquency and crime in our society. People say put more gardai on the streets and more cells in prisons. The battle for a healthy, happy society into the future will be won and lost in marriage and family life."
The bill was described by Justice Minister Dermot Ahern as "one of the most important human rights pieces of legislation the House had dealt with".
However, Bishop Jones said "rushing it through" gave the wrong impression to young people that living in sin together or forming same-sex partnerships was right because the Government had changed the law.
"Once the State makes something legal, people automatically think it is OK for them. That is why the introduction of divorce has such a negative effect on our understanding of marriage. People think that if the State sees nothing wrong with the law, then it is morally right. That is how new laws can change the perceptions of people."
He said the Government had a responsibility under the Constitution to protect marriage, and family founded on marriage, but was rushing through the bill that would give cohabitees and gay unions the same status as marriage and all the tax and social welfare benefits that applied to marriage.
"Surely all of this is saying to our young people of the future, 'Yes you are right to cohabit outside of marriage. Yes, you are right to form same sex unions and we, as the State, will support you as we support marriage itself'.
"Of course once the bill goes through, marital status will be replaced by civil status in legislation. Civil status will head up census forms and all official forms and marriage will be just one other category of relationship with cohabitees and same-sex unions.
"However, we appeal to young people to rediscover that marriage is the only way forward for happiness.
"By living with each other outside of marriage, you may be meeting your own physical and emotional needs but you are refusing to formalise your relationship.
"You are not prepared to make the commitment for life that married love demands. You are rejecting the direction of both Church and State to create the stable and secure environment into which children are born."
He claimed since divorce was introduced in 1995, marriage breakdown has "tragically" increased by 500 per cent, single-parent families had increased by 80 per cent and four times as many people were living together outside marriage.
The bishop spoke as he celebrated jubilee weddings at a special Mass in Boyle, Co Roscommon. He told the dozens of couples in his homily: "Everything I have tried to say about marriage and family founded on marriage has been recognised by our State through decades and has been enshrined in our Constitution.
"That means that our State or our Government is obliged to protect and care for marriage and for family founded on marriage."
The bill was brought in as part of the Programme for Government.
Environment Minister and Green Party leader John Gormley said "the bill was an act of tolerance, and a step forward".
But Green Party TD Ciaran Cuffe said that the legislation, which has been welcomed by civil liberty groups, had not gone as far as the Green Party would ultimately have liked.
Now conservative Christian groups plan to challenge the legislation in the courts. The Catholic pressure group Coir also hopes President McAleese will refer it to the Supreme Court to test its legality under the Constitution.
- Christian McCashin
Originally published in
