Uruguayan bishops express grave concern about new law on civil unions

Montevideo, Uruguay, May 1, 2007 / 10:42 am

The bishops of Uruguay said this week a proposed law on civil unions "merits serious reflection" and that making civil unions equal to marriage, including between same-sex couples, would be "unacceptable" and would "negatively affect marriage and the family.

At the conclusion of the first Ordinary Plenary Assembly of the Uruguayan Bishops’ Conference, the bishops released a statement expressing their support, in keeping with the country’s Constitution, of "everything in legislation that favors the proper nature of the family, its identity, stability, wellbeing and everything that protects its members."

Therefore, the statement indicated, the law on civil unions "merits serious reflection," since "while it would protect the some of the rights of those are living in this situation or are affected by it, the making of civil unions equal to matrimony cannot be accepted."

The bishops also warned that including same-sex unions in the definition of civil unions "can in no way be accepted, as homosexual relationships do not meet the basic conditions that define marriage."

The efforts being made to address issues related to civil unions, they stressed, "should not negatively affect the institution of the family, which is recognized by our Constitution and needs all of the care and encouragement that society as a whole can offer."

"It is not positive or acceptable to distort or weaken the image of marriage as the foundation of the family," the bishops emphasized.