Cardinal O'Brien calls on politicians to " sustain rather than subvert Marriage"
"The Catholic Church in Scotland will inaugurate "National Marriage Sunday" on Sunday
26 August 2012. In a Pastoral Letter to be read out in all of Scotland's 500 Catholic
parishes, the Bishops' of Scotland will "place a special emphasis on the role of the
family founded on marriage" and stress that "marriage is a unique lifelong union of
a man and a woman" In a strongly worded message, the Bishops will restate, their "deep
disappointment that the Scottish Government has decided to redefine marriage and legislate
for same sex marriage" As well as thanking parishioners for their past support in
defence of marriage, the message will urge them to, "continue to act against efforts
to redefine it" Endorsing the initiative Cardinal Keith O'Brien, President of the
Bishops' Conference of Scotland said; "The Church's teaching on marriage is unequivocal,
it is uniquely, the union of a man and a woman and it is wrong that Governments, politicians
or Parliaments should seek to alter or destroy that reality." Cardinal O'Brien
added; "With this letter we will announce the creation of a National Commission for
Marriage and the Family, a body which will be charged with promoting the true nature
of marriage, it will develop an online prescence and produce materials and organise
events which will help Catholic families to support and sustain marriage" "While
we pray that our elected leaders will sustain rather than subvert marriage, we promise
to continue to do everything we can to convince them that redefining marriage would
be wrong for society"
The full text of the message is shown below:
A
Message fornMarriage Sunday 26 August 2012 The Bishops’ Conference
of Scotland
In all things, we as Catholics look to Jesus Christ as our
model and teacher. When asked about marriage He gave a profound and rich reply:
“Have you not read that the Creator, from the beginning, ‘made them male and female’,
and said: ‘This is why a man must leave father and mother and cling to his wife and
the two become one body’.” (Matthew, 19: 4-5) In the Year of Faith, which begins
this October, we wish to place a special emphasis on the role of the family founded
on marriage. The family is the domestic Church, and the first place in which the
faith is transmitted. For that reason it must have a primary focus in our prayerful
considerations during this period of grace. We write to you having already expressed
our deep disappointment that the Scottish Government has decided to redefine marriage
and legislate for same-sex marriage. We take this opportunity to thank you for your
past support in defense of marriage and hope you will continue to act against efforts
to redefine it. We reaffirm before you all the common wisdom of humanity and the
revealed faith of the Church that marriage is a unique life-long union of a man and
a woman. In circumstances when the true nature of marriage is being obscured, we
wish to affirm and celebrate the truth and beauty of the Sacrament of Matrimony and
family life as Jesus revealed it; to do something new to support marriage and family
life in the Catholic community and in the country; and to reinforce the vocation
of marriage and the pastoral care of families which takes in the everyday life of
the Church in dioceses and parishes across the country. For that reason, in the
forthcoming Year of Faith we have decided to establish a new Commission for Marriage
and the Family. This Commission will be led by a bishop and will be composed mostly
of lay men and women. The Commission will be charged with engaging with those young
men and women who will be future husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, and with
those who already live out their vocation to marriage and parenthood in surroundings
which often make it hard to sustain and develop the full Catholic family life we cherish.
We wish to support too, those who are widowed, separated and divorced and all
who need to feel the Church’s maternal care in the circumstances in which they find
themselves. The new Commission will promote the true nature of marriage as both
a human institution and a union blessed by Jesus. The Commission will be asked to
develop an online presence so that prayer, reflection, formation and practical information
on matters to do with marriage and family life can be quickly accessible to all.
It will also work to produce materials and organise events which will support ordinary
Catholic families in their daily lives. During the course of the coming year we
will ask for your support for these initiatives. Our faith teaches us that marriage
is a great and holy mystery. The Bishops of Scotland will continue to promote and
uphold the universally accepted definition of marriage as the union solely of a man
and a woman. At the same time, we wish to work positively for the strengthening
of marriage within the Church and within our society. This is an important initiative
for all our people, but especially our young people and children. We urge you to
join us in this endeavour. Pray for your own family every day, and pray for those
families whose lives are made difficult by the problems and cares which they encounter.
Finally, we invite you to pray for our elected leaders, invoking the Holy Spirit on
them, that they may be moved to safeguard marriage as it has always been understood,
for the good of Scotland and of our society.