Jan 25, 2006 / 22:00 pm
The bishops of Scotland have issued a pastoral letter on family life to the country’s 500 parishes, criticizing the recent same-sex union legislation and calling on society to promote the family.
Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow wrote the letter on the bishops’ behalf, saying that Scotland’s recent same-sex union legislation diminishes the special status of marriage, reported the Scotsman News.
"The law has created a fiction of marriage by implicitly basing such legislation on a sexual engagement,” the letter reads. "While some say it is no business of the state to interfere in what consenting adults do, it is equally arguable that it is not wise of the state to accord civil partnerships privileges reserved until now to married couples.
"Nothing is more fundamental to the common good than the stability of family life,” he said. "This is a time when marriage and the family are in crisis, with many of our social ills traceable to this cause. Therefore, we must be at the forefront of promoting family life."
The letter urges society to help protect and promote families by assisting young married couples to find affordable accommodation, offering them marriage preparation, and conciliation services.