Twatting Catholic bishops and their letter .re. gay marriage

[Rum]

Copied and pasted from a link at: http://www.catholic-ew.org.uk/Home/News ... n-Marriage

10/3/12

A Letter on Marriage from the President and Vice-President of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ,

This week the Coalition Government is expected to present its consultation paper on the proposed change in
the legal definition of marriage so as to open the institution of marriage to same-sex partnerships.

Today we want to put before you the Catholic vision of marriage and the light it casts on the importance of
marriage for our society.

The roots of the institution of marriage lie in our nature. Male and female we have been created, and written
into our nature is this pattern of complementarity and fertility. This pattern is, of course, affirmed by many other
religious traditions. Christian teaching fills out this pattern and reveals its deepest meaning, but neither the
Church nor the State has the power to change this fundamental understanding of marriage itself. Nor is this
simply a matter of public opinion.

Understood as a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman, and for the creation and upbringing
of children, marriage is an expression of our fundamental humanity. Its status in law is the prudent fruit of
experience, for the good of the spouses and the good of the family. In this way society esteems the married
couple as the source and guardians of the next generation. As an institution marriage is at the foundation of
our society.

There are many reasons why people get married. For most couples, there is an instinctive understanding that
the stability of a marriage provides the best context for the flourishing of their relationship and for bringing up
their children. Society recognises marriage as an important institution for these same reasons: to enhance
stability in society and to respect and support parents in the crucial task of having children and bringing them
up as well as possible.

The Church starts from this appreciation that marriage is a natural institution, and indeed the Church
recognises civil marriage. The Catholic understanding of marriage, however, raises this to a new level. As the
Catechism says: ‘The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a
partnership of the whole of life, by its nature is ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation
and education of offspring; this covenant between baptised persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the
dignity of a sacrament.’ (para.1601)

These rather abstract words are reflected however imperfectly in the experience of married couples. We know
that at the heart of a good marriage is a relationship of astonishing power and richness, for the couple, their
children, their wider circle of friends and relations and society. As a Sacrament, this is a place where divine
grace flows. Indeed, marriage is a sharing in the mystery of God’s own life: the unending and perfect flow of
love between Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

We know, too, that just as God’s love is creative, so too the love of husband and wife is creative of new life. It
is open, in its essence, to welcoming new life, ready to love and nurture that life to its fullness, not only here on
earth but also into eternity.

This is a high and noble vision, for marriage is a high and noble vocation. It is not easily followed. But we
are sure that Christ is at the heart of marriage, for his presence is a sure gift of the God who is Love, who
wants nothing more than for the love of husband and wife to find its fulfilment. So the daily effort that marriage
requires, the many ways in which family living breaks and reshapes us, is a sharing in the mission of Christ,
that of making visible in the world the creative and forgiving love of God.

In these ways we understand marriage to be a call to holiness for a husband and wife, with children
recognised and loved as the gift of God, with fidelity and permanence as the boundaries which create its
sacred space. Marriage is also a crucial witness in our society, contributing to its stability, its capacity for
compassion and forgiveness and its future, in a way that no other institution can.

In putting before you these thoughts about why marriage is so important, we also want to recognise the
experience of those who have suffered the pain of bereavement or relationship breakdown and their
contribution to the Church and society. Many provide a remarkable example of courage and fidelity. Many
strive to make the best out of difficult and complex situations. We hope that they are always welcomed and
helped to feel valued members of our parish communities.

The reasons given by our government for wanting to change the definition of marriage are those of equality
and discrimination. But our present law does not discriminate unjustly when it requires both a man and a
woman for marriage. It simply recognises and protects the distinctive nature of marriage.

Changing the legal definition of marriage would be a profoundly radical step. Its consequences should be
taken seriously now. The law helps to shape and form social and cultural values. A change in the law would
gradually and inevitably transform society’s understanding of the purpose of marriage. It would reduce it just to
the commitment of the two people involved. There would be no recognition of the complementarity of male and
female or that marriage is intended for the procreation and education of children.

We have a duty to married people today, and to those who come after us, to do all we can to ensure that the
true meaning of marriage is not lost for future generations.

With every blessing.

Most Reverend Vincent Nichols
Archbishop of Westminster
President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales

Most Reverend Peter Smith
Archbishop of Southwark
Vice-President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales

[JimC]

Simples...

No catholic marriage service available for gay couples, fair enough. That is legitimately in their jurisdiction...

For legal, civil, non-church marriage, fuck off, bishops...

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Simples...

No catholic marriage service available for gay couples, fair enough. That is legitimately in their jurisdiction...

For legal, civil, non-church marriage, fuck off, bishops...

Scolding about gayness from Kiddie Fiddlers Inc. is surreal.

[matthewr88]

Scolding about gayness from Kiddie Fiddlers Inc. is surreal.

Yeah, but they don't want to marry the kids... just sodomise them...

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

[Xamonas Chegwé]

Aren't catlick bishops "married to jesus"? And isn't jesus a boy?

Nuff said...

[Svartalf]

Simples...

No catholic marriage service available for gay couples, fair enough. That is legitimately in their jurisdiction...

For legal, civil, non-church marriage, fuck off, bishops...

Scolding about gayness from Kiddie Fiddlers Inc. is surreal.

If they fiddled only little girls, they might have more of a leg to stand on...

[Svartalf]

Aren't catlick bishops "married to jesus"? And isn't jesus a boy?

Nuff said...

They be married to the church, and that one, she's an evil byatch

[Xamonas Chegwé]

Aren't catlick bishops "married to jesus"? And isn't jesus a boy?

Nuff said...

They be married to the church, and that one, she's an evil byatch

That's also bigamy! Turtles can't be far behind!

[Svartalf]

Don't you know altar boys wear turtleshells under the white thing?

[Tero]

Too much twatting to read. How many strawman arguments.?

[Xamonas Chegwé]

Too much twatting to read. How many strawman arguments.?

Lot's of well-lubricated slippery slopes.

[klr]

So the Catholic church is saying "our view of who should be allowed marry should also be the law of the land, applicable to everyone, Catholic or not". Quelle surprise.

Bollocks to that.

[Jesus_of_Nazareth]

At the moment getting "married" (aka casting spells over a couple) in a Catholic Church does not make the Marriage Legal. (only the C of E churches have an official Register - IMO they have more to worry about on that perk than the Catholics do).

So, for all society cares they can marry 5 people and a goat together (do they?) and can already refuse to marry anyone they wish, divorced, heathens, muslims, gays, black people.....that won't change.

and if society later decides that marrying 5 people and a goat together is the way forward, then that decision has SFA to do with the Popophiles.

Of course if the Catholic Church felt that strongly they could decide that "marriage" in a church was good enough on it's own and forgo the benefits of being involved in the legal side - but they won't do that because the numbers getting married in there churches would drop.

[Animavore]

Simples...

No catholic marriage service available for gay couples, fair enough. That is legitimately in their jurisdiction...

For legal, civil, non-church marriage, fuck off, bishops...

It really is that simple.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Simples...

No catholic marriage service available for gay couples, fair enough. That is legitimately in their jurisdiction...

For legal, civil, non-church marriage, fuck off, bishops...

It really is that simple.

Only if all parties are rational.