Posted on 05/22/2014 3:39:10 AM PDT by markomalley
The Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has said it opposes a proposal to automatically convert same-sex civil partnerships into marriages.
A submission to the Civil Partnership Review consultation, signed by Archbishop Peter Smith of Southwark, said: “Now that same-sex marriage exists in law, a new issue is being raised. There are those lesbian and gay Catholics who have entered into civil partnerships in order to secure important and necessary legal rights, but who do not wish either to become married in the eyes of the state, or to have their civil partnership automatically ‘converted’ into a marriage. To remove the legal right of these same-sex couples, who do not wish to ‘marry’, to enter into a civil partnership would mean removing legal rights for such people in future.
“We have received representations from some lesbian and gay Catholics stating that they would not wish to enter into a same-sex marriage, and who fear that their legal rights will be removed if civil partnerships are abolished.
“Some lesbian and gay Catholics do not wish to enter into civil same-sex marriage because of their deeply held belief that marriage is between a man and a woman only, but still wish to have the legal rights that are contained in a civil partnership. The removal of the option for same-sex couples to enter into civil partnerships could cause great harm to those Catholics and others.
The response continued: “In terms of the Equality Act framework, it is important that those who share the protected characteristics of sexuality and religion continue to be able to manifest their religious beliefs whilst not being denied the legal protections that are offered by a civil partnership.
“We are opposed to any automatic conversion of civil partnerships into same-sex marriages. The two realities were established differently in law with distinct meanings. Same-sex couples who entered into civil partnerships may not wish to have their relationship labelled in this way.”
Archbishop Peter Smith signed the response in his capacity as chairman of the bishops’ department for Christian responsibility and citizenship.
Here is the full text of the bishops’ response:
Introduction
1. In the wake of the passage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 Act the government is consulting on whether civil partnerships should be:
a. abolished and automatically converted into same sex marriages,
b. prevented from occurring in future whilst recognising existing civil partnerships,
c. extended to allow opposite sex couples to enter into civil partnerships, or
d. retained in their current state.
2. Now that same sex marriage exists in law, a new issue is being raised. There are those lesbian and gay Catholics who have entered into civil partnerships in order to secure important and necessary legal rights, but who do not wish either to become married in the eyes of the state, or to have their civil partnership automatically ‘converted’ into a marriage. To remove the legal right of these same sex couples, who do not wish to ‘marry’, to enter into a civil partnership would mean removing legal rights for such people in future.
3. We have received representations from some lesbian and gay Catholics stating that they would not wish to enter into a same sex marriage, and who fear that their legal rights will be removed if civil partnerships are abolished.
Q1: What are your views about abolishing the legal relationship of civil partnership once same sex couples can marry?
4. Some lesbian and gay Catholics do not wish to enter into civil same sex marriage because of their deeply held belief that marriage is between a man and a woman only, but still wish to have the legal rights that are contained in a civil partnership. The removal of the option for same sex couples to enter into civil partnerships could cause great harm to those Catholics and others.
5. In terms of the Equality Act framework, it is important that those who share the protected characteristics of sexuality and religion continue to be able to manifest their religious beliefs whilst not being denied the legal protections that are offered by a civil partnership.
6. We are opposed to any automatic conversion of civil partnerships into same sex marriages. The two realities were established differently in law with distinct meanings. Same sex couples who entered into civil partnerships may not wish to have their relationship labelled in this way.
Q2: Once marriage is available to same sex couples, do you think it should still be possible for couples to form a civil partnership as an alternative to marrying?
7. As explained above the continued legal right of lesbian and gay couples to enter into civil partnerships is important to them. Preventing new civil partnerships from being entered would deny them those rights and provide little or no benefit elsewhere.
“Other issues” within chapter 4 of consultation
Q8: Are there any proposals for changes to the legal terminology and processes for forming civil partnerships which are consistent with civil partnership being different from marriage?
8. There should be clear differences in the terminology and processes between civil partnership and marriage, recognizing the distinctive legal characteristics of each.
Archbishop Peter Smith
Chairman, Department for Christian Responsibility and Citizenship
17th April 2014
The first thing that both the bishops' conference in the England/Wales and the USCCB could do is to direct clergy in jurisdictions to refuse to sign any civil documents related to "marriage" (in quotes because allowing two people of the same sex to commit the fraud of a "marriage" separates the civil term "marriage" from any semblance of a Christian marriage). No sense in Catholic clergy acting as agents of an evil State in that fashion.
The second thing they could do is to propose a complementary norm to Canon 1379 (Can. 1379 In addition to the cases mentioned in can. 1378, a person who simulates the administration of a sacrament is to be punished with a just penalty.) to include individuals who participate in any way in a civil same-sex "marriage", either as one of the parties (who, in the authentic sacrament, are the actual ministers)...or as one who assists.
Don't worry...I'm not holding my breath.
Don’t worry...I’m not holding my breath.
...yes, this is just what the typical diocesan bishop wants to hear...priests in his jurisdiction causing bad local press...to say nothing of the loss of funds associated with the media blitz...let’s face it, bishops today are little more than administrators tasked with keeping the money tap running; to look to them for moral guidance on top of that is too much to ask of them (particularly proposing addenda to existing Church canons)...
...the best thing a bishop can hear from the flock under his wing is...nothing...
If they are lesbian or gay, then they are not Catholic.
When I was growing up in the Catholic church you had to be a Christian to be a Catholic. I assume this is still true.
How can one claim to be a follower of Christ and yet identify oneself by a sin that Christ calls abomination and plainly states that no one who does that sin will get into heaven? The mere fact that they call themselves lesbian or gay is screaming out "My sin is more important to me than Jesus is". They are not, nor can they be (until they repent and turn away from that sin), Christian.
Do we really think the Bishops will do this to one of the Sacraments of Christ?
Who am . . . just kidding.
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