Madrid, Spain, May 8, 2005 / 22:00 pm
The Bishops Conference of Spain published an official statement last week reminding Catholics that they are morally obliged not to vote in favor of an eventual law that will make homosexual unions equivalent to marriage, because it goes against reason and morality.
In an energetic statement from the Executive Committee of the conference, the bishops state that if the law were to be passed—it has already received the support of Spain’s House of Representatives—“it would lack in and of itself the character of true law, since it would be a contradiction of correct reason and the moral law,” its application would “not be binding upon anyone” and “each person could exercise the right to conscientious objection.”
The bishops state that it is their duty “to speak with clarity when Spain seeks to lead a regression in the development of society, with a legal measure that is without precedent and gravely damaging to the fundamental rights of marriage, the family, young people and teachers.”
The bishops underscored that “opposing immoral measures that go against reason is not to be against anyone, but rather to be in favor of love, truth and the wellbeing of each person.”
Homosexual “marriages,” they continued, “are in reality a legal falsification of marriage, just as damaging to the common good as counterfeit money is to the economy of a country.”
The bishops also expressed concern over the scandal brought to children who would be adopted by gay couples, adding that education of young people regarding true marriage would be difficult or impossible.
The bishops warned that “it is not true that this norm makes a certain right more extensive, because the union of two people of the same sex cannot be marriage. What it does is corrupt the institution of marriage.”
“Catholics, as well as all people of correct moral formation, cannot be indecisive or complacent about this law; rather, they must sharply and clearly oppose it,” the bishops stated.
“Concretely, they cannot vote in favor of this law, and in the application of a law that is not morally binding on anyone, each person has the right to conscientiously object,”