Top Italian Cardinal Speaks Out Against Homosexual Unions, Euthanasia

LifeSiteNews ^ | 1/24/07 | Gudrun Schultz

[wagglebee]

VATICAN CITY, January 24, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Cardinal Camillo Ruini, head of the Italian episcopal conference, addressed the issue of homosexual marriage or civil union rights at the opening of the twice-yearly assembly of Italian bishops, saying, "It must be said that (homosexual unions) are at odds with basic anthropological facts, in particular with the nonexistence of the blessing of generating children, which is the specific reason for the social recognition of marriage."

Cardinal Ruini warned against new legislation to resolve legal issues around unmarried couples "that would inevitably be set up as something similar to a marriage." Slight changes to the country's civil code would be enough to resolve any legal gaps, he said, while new legislation would be "a sure way to make the creation of authentic families more difficult, with great damage to people, starting with the children, and to Italian society."

Proposed legislation, backed by the Radical Party, would grant unmarried couples similar rights to married couples, with inheritance rights, joint medical insurance, hospital and prison visiting rights and the right to make health decisions for one another in case of incapacitation, according to a report by the Associated Press.

As well, Cardinal Ruini reiterated the position of the Diocese of Rome in denying euthanasia advocate Piergiorgio Welby a Catholic funeral, after the disabled man asked to receive sedation and have his respirator removed, resulting in his death Dec.20, 2007.

Cardinal Ruini said the Vatican could not allow a Catholic funeral for Welby because "to the end, he persevered lucidly and consciously in the wish to be able to end his own life.

"In these conditions, a different decision would have been impossible and contradictory for the Church because it would have legitimized behaviour contrary to the laws of God."
 
Welby, who suffered from advanced muscular dystrophy, died after anesthesiologist Mario Riccio complied with his request to administer sedative drugs and unplug his respirator.

Welby had petitioned the State to interfere in his case and give permission for his euthanasia, in a highly publicized case that raised intense debate over the countries' laws against euthanasia and assisted suicide.

The Diocese of Rome said Welby was denied a Catholic funeral not because of the manner of his death, but because of his advocacy for legalized euthanasia in clear opposition to Church teaching.

See previous LifeSiteNews coverage:

Diocese of Rome Refuses Catholic Funeral for Catholic Right-to-Die Activist
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jan/07010303.html

Italian Court Denies Paralyzed Man's Request to Have Respirator Turned Off
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/dec/06121804.html

Italian President Advocates Debate on Legalizing Euthanasia
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/sep/06092601.html

Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/oct/05102603.html

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[NYer]

An excerpt from:
In Their Own Words: The Homosexual Agenda:

"Homosexual activist Michelangelo Signorile, who writes periodically for The New York Times, summarizes the agenda in OUT magazine:

...to fight for same-sex marriage and its benefits and then, once granted, redefine the institution of marriage completely, to demand the right to marry not as a way of adhering to society's moral codes, but rather to debunk a myth and radically alter an archaic institution... The most subversive action lesbian and gay men can undertake --and one that would perhaps benefit all of society-- is to transform the notion of family entirely ." "Its the final tool with which to dismantle all sodomy statues, get education about homosexuality and AIDS into the public schools and in short to usher in a sea change in how society views and treats us."

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Vatican Document On Homosexual Unions

“Homosexual unions are totally lacking in the biological and anthropological elements of marriage and family which would be the basis, on the level of reason, for granting them legal recognition. Such unions are not able to contribute in a proper way to the procreation and survival of the human race. The possibility of using recently discovered methods of artificial reproduction, beyond involving a grave lack of respect for human dignity,(15) does nothing to alter this inadequacy.”
CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING PROPOSALS TO GIVE LEGAL RECOGNITION TO UNIONS BETWEEN HOMOSEXUAL PERSONS

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[nmh]

Anyone listening?


IUt seems more and more these outcrys are muffled and people do NOTHING. They are too quick to fall for - "judge not least you be judged". Oh how Scritpure is twisted to suit an agenda ... .

[8mmMauser]

Pinged from Terri Dailies

8mm

[redgolum]

He has guts.

[trisham]

Thank you for speaking out, Cardinal Camillo Ruini!