Religious celebrants have nothing to fear from marriage equality / Archbishop invited to meet “defective” couples
Australian marriage equality advocates have moved to quell fears about same-sex marriages among Australia’s Catholic Bishops, saying religious celebrants will not be forced to perform same-sex marriages when these marriages are legally allowed.
The re-assurance was given in response to concerns voiced by Perth Archbishop, Barry Hickey, who said his archdiocese will stop conducting all legal marriages if it is forced to perform same-sex marriages, and may not even bury same-sex married partners, because the Church “…can’t bless a relationship with an inbuilt defect”.
Australian Marriage Equality spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said,
“When the law changes to permit same-sex couples to marry Catholic celebrants will not be forced to perform such marriages, just as they are currently not forced to marry divorcees or non-Catholics.”
“Overseas, the recognition of same-sex marriages in civil law co-exists with the freedom of faith communities not to recognise these marriages, and the same will happen in Australia.”
Mr Croome said he is disappointed that Archbishop Hickey said “he has not yet worked out” whether the Church can bury same-sex married partners.
“Most Australians will consider it hard-hearted to deny someone their final wish of a faith-based funeral just because they are in a loving committed, officially-recognised union with someone of the same sex.”
Archbishop Hickey has since claimed he was “thinking out aloud” and that he will not impose a ban on the burial of same-sex married partners.
In response to Archbishop Hickey’s claim that same-sex relationships have an “inbuilt defect”, Mr Croome invited the Archbishop to meet same-sex partners and their families.
“When the Archbishop meets real same-sex couples living real lives he will see the only ‘inbuilt defect’ we have to deal with is the legal discrimination he upholds against us.”
For a report on Archbishop Hickey’s comments go to:
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/10380409/threat-to-catholic-marriages/
For a fuller version of his comment go to:
http://www.therecord.com.au/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2782&Itemid=26
For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668 or Alex Greenwich on 0421 316 335.
