Church’s position on gay adoption remains firm, asserts archdiocese

Mexico City, Mexico, Aug 24, 2010 / 12:01 pm

The spokesman for the Archdiocese of Mexico City, Father Hugo Valdemar, clarified this week that recent statements by the archdiocese's assistant director for radio and television did not reveal conflict within the Church regarding homosexual adoption.

In an interview with CNA , Fr. Valdemar explained that the remarks by Fr. Jose de Jesus Aguilar Valdes, assistant director for radio and television, “in no way imply the withdrawal of support for Cardinal Sandoval. The Archdiocese of Mexico City continues firm in its position of his defense as has the entire Mexican episcopate.”

Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iniguez of Guadalajara made headlines recently for accusing the mayor of Mexico City of bribing the country's Supreme Court justices to rule in favor of same-sex marriage and gay adoption. The mayor has since filed a defamation suit against the cardinal.

Fr. Valdemar added that Fr. Aguilar's comments were distorted by the media.

The Archdiocese of Mexico City’s news service published an interview this week, clarifying that in Fr. Aguilar's previous comments, he discussed “the Church’s position on marriage between a man and a woman …  and the importance that the family be based on a father and a mother.” The priest added that the Catholic Church “does not reject homosexuals, but  invites them to seek salvation.”

In the latest interview, Fr. Aguilar criticized the media for deliberately “taking my ideas out of context or changing some of my words in order to cause a scandal from something I did not say.” Only a few in the media have “acted with objectivity and have made an effort to give context to the Church’s rejection of adoption by same-sex couples.”

He rejected claims that he suggested the Archdiocese of Mexico City supports gay adoption. Fr. Aguilar explained that he had previously mentioned to the media a case in which he “met a homosexual person who raised a child.  He never expressed his sexual preferences to the child and was never in relationship while he raised him.

“I mentioned that he adopted him under the old laws and as a single person,” however “this anecdote was taken out of context.”

“I was quoted as saying I knew numerous gay couples who raised children who came out fine.  This is false,” the priest said.

Fr. Aguilar emphasized that there is no disagreement between the Archdiocese of Mexico City and Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iniguez. “Both Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera as well as the bishops of the Mexican episcopate have expressed solidarity with the Archbishop of Guadalajara in his vital defense of life and family values,” Father Aguilar said.

“For my part I am faithful to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church and her shepherds,” he continued.  “The Church loves homosexuals and offers all the means for them to achieve salvation.  I regret that the Church’s charity is being misinterpreted with the passage of laws that contravene the ideal of the family,” the priest said.