An Irish bishop has expressed regret about comments he made about gay people as parents in the lead up to Ireland’s referendum on same-sex marriage.
Bishop Kevin Doran of Elphin said in a media interview that a redefinition of marriage was also a redefinition of parenthood.
When asked about gay people who are already parents, the bishop replied: “They’re not parents.”
“You see the point about it is . . . they may have children, but that’s the difference.”
Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin subsequently said this was “an unfortunate phrase”.
Bishop Doran later said he realised some people were hurt “by either what I said or what they thought I had said and I very much regret that”.
He said in pressure situations like the interview his words might not have been chosen as carefully as they would have been in a statement.