The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema & Tv
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
      • Shows
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

Current affairsNews

Letter is latest step in Scottish Catholic Church’s campaign against gay marriage

Letter is latest step in Scottish Catholic Church’s campaign against gay marriage
28 August 2012
Abbie Cavendish
Avatar
Abbie Cavendish
28 August 2012

A letter was read out in all 500 Scottish Catholic parishes today, criticising the Scottish government’s attempt to legalise gay marriage and declaring the 26th of August “National Marriage Sunday”.

The letter urged parish members to act against all efforts to “re-define” marriage by including gay couples, and the clergy as a whole is calling upon the Scottish government to “sustain rather than subvert” marriage.

The Scottish government says it is right to introduce same-sex marriage, though has made assurances that no member of the clergy would ever be forced to carry out a ceremony against their wishes. The government have promised to bring forward a bill on the issue this year, with the first ceremonies potentially taking place by 2015.

Cardinal Keith O’Brien, who is the leader of the Scottish church, broke off his discussions with First Minister Alex Salmond on the discussion last week. He once described gay marriage as a “grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right”.

Of the letter, O’Brien 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. We promise to continue to do everything we can to convince them that redefining marriage would be wrong for society.”

Tom French, charity policy co-ordinator of pro same-sex marriage charity The Equality Network, disagreed. He said: “It is increasingly clear that the Church has an anti-gay agenda that it wants to impose on the rest of society. We urge the Scottish government to stand firm on plans to introduce equal marriage and not give in to demands that would discriminate against LGBT people.“

Abbie Cavendish

Related Items

More in Current Affairs

Changes to expect during menopause

The editorial unit
Read More

Why Equity Linked Savings Schemes is a preferred tax saving?

The editorial unit
Read More

How the world’s top designers would rebrand political parties

The editorial unit
Read More

Royal baby furore: Proof that the British monarchy is still popular?

Eoin O’Sullivan-Harris
Read More

World Mental Health Day 2018: Raising awareness and combating stigma

The editorial unit
Read More

Seven political personalities you should know about

The editorial unit
Read More

Donald Trump: An enemy of the arts?

The editorial unit
Read More

Trump’s fortune: Where did the money come from?

The editorial unit
Read More

Snapchat Spectacles come to the UK

The editorial unit
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap
  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • The Fratellis – Half Drunk Under a Full Moon
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • The Power
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Madame Claude
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Playfight at Finborough Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Hysterical! The Hilarious History of Hystery at Theatre Royal Stratford East Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Celebrate the EE BAFTAs this Sunday with Claude Bosi’s free virtual dining experience
    Food & Drinks
  • Shake Shack launches limited edition Vegan Crispy Shallot Burger in partnership with chef Neil Rankin
    Food & Drinks
  • Nutrition Kitchen: Fresh, diverse meal plans to satisfy both fitness fanatics and hardcore foodies
    Food & Drinks
  • Red Rage
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Final Days
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Playfight at Finborough Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • The Power
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Godzilla vs Kong: A colossal brawl that magnificently delivers what we tuned in to see
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Wellington Paranormal
    ★★★★★
    vod
  • Worn Stories
    ★★★★★
    netflix
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

First man on the Moon Neil Armstrong dies aged 82
US tropical storm follows track of Katrina as thousands evacuate the coast