"In a democratic and pluralistic society like ours, legal recognition can be given to persons of the same sex that live together," the bishops said. However, they continued, it would be "unjust if such recognition would claim to equate same-sex unions with marriage." Read more

The rally combined a fiesta atmosphere with fairground rides, food stalls, music and dancing. There were addresses by Members of Parliament, the Coalition for Marriage, his Excellency Robert Rabbat, Melkite Bishop of Australia, Dr Pansy Lai from Australian Chinese for Families, and Susan Hourani from Radio 2Moro.

Lai would have been known to the crowd as the person who coordinated petitions for several ethnic communities against the Safe Schools programme in New South Wales. (The programme, which was designed to educate students about sexual and gender diversity, was subsequently dumped in favour of a wider anti-bullying programme.)

Lai spoke about the link between the removal of parental rights, a change in the marriage law and the introduction of radical lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) sex and gender programmes into the classrooms.

"We parents have a say in what our kids get taught about life, relationships, sex and marriage. We parents are the ones who must speak up to protect our children because nobody is going to do it for us," Lai told the crowd.

The Honourable Michael Sukkar MP reiterated Lai's call to protect the family, commenting on the cultural importance of the link between mother and child.

"I've learned you don't come between a Lebanese mother and her kids," he said, reminding the crowd that it was not only okay, but their duty, to say ‘no' in the gay marriage referendum.

Coalition for Marriage spokeswoman Sophie York called the gathering "energising.''

"It shows that there is still so much energy and so much resolve in the ‘no' camp. The people I met today are committed to working tirelessly to ensure that as many ‘no' votes as possible are posted over the coming weeks.

"Too often in this debate, the diverse voices of Australia's migrant communities have been ignored. These people are the silent majority, but we heard them loud and clear in Fairfield yesterday. In different dialects, they had the same message: we are voting ‘no'," York added.

Clergy from numerous Eastern rite Christian faith communities were at the event.

Source

• Catholic Outlook
• Image: Daily Mail

Sergio Rubin, who is Francis's authorised biographer, says Francis has suggested this would mean rather than homosexual "marriage", the term "civil unions" could be used instead.

"Let us call things by their names. Matrimony is between a man and a woman. This is the precise term. Let us call the same-sex union a ‘civil union'", Francis says.

This is a somewhat different view from the one put by a recent news report suggesting Francis agrees with civil unions that recognise homosexual relationships under law.

Rubin says this is not the case and Francis is not contradicting the Church's teaching about marriage.

Instead, he says Francis and has reaffirmed his support for the church's view: that marriage can only "be defined as a union of one man and one woman", which "we cannot change".

The church also teaches that since homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered," Catholics cannot approve of same-sex civil unions.

The Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reiterated this long-held teaching in 2003. In a document written by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (who would be elected Pope Benedict XVI) and approved by Pope Saint John Paul II, the Congregation said:

"The Church teaches that respect for homosexual persons cannot lead in any way to approval of homosexual behaviour or to legal recognition of homosexual unions."

Source

• Christian Post
• LifeSite
• Image: Come Down O Love Divine

The court justices ruled that Israel's practice of not recognising same-sex marriages does not contravene Israel's Basic Law on Human Dignity and Liberty.

The ruling followed an appeal to the court from Israel's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Association, which wanted the law against same-sex marriage to be declared unconstitutional.

The association argued that Israel's Basic Law of Human Dignity and Liberty should be legally interpreted as recognizing homosexual "marriage."

In ruling that "Israeli civil law does not recognise same-sex marriage," the court noted there is no such thing as "civil marriage" in the country".

This meant asking the civil court rule on something under the jurisdiction of the rabbinical courts does not apply in this case.

The justices also pointed out it was up to the legislators, and not the High Court, to determine the matter.

Israel has two coexisting court systems.

Religious courts deal with "personal status" issues such as marriage, divorce, and the like. (There are Jewish, Christian, Islamic, and Druze [a sect of Islam] courts in Israel.)

Civil courts deal with material disputes, criminal matters, and penalties.

Pope Francis is firmly opposed to gay marriage.

By virtue of its very definition, marriage can only be between a man and a woman, he says.

"We cannot change it [that definition]. This is the nature of things," not just in the Church, but in human history.

Source

• Sydney Morning Herald
• Catholic Herald
• Lifesite
• Catholic Herald
• Image: The Jerusalem Post

Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart is declining to comment on remarks made by the schools last week that seemed to support gay marriage. The Australian Bishops Commission for Catholic Education is also choosing to keep silent.

While the schools have not definitely said they'd vote for gay marriage, they have noted Pope Francis' teachings on love, mercy and non-judgement in messages to staff, students and parents.

Father Chris Middleton, the rector of Xavier, says the Church should to look at the support among the youth for marriage equality.

'In my experience, there is almost total unanimity amongst the young in favour of same-sex marriage, and arguments against will have almost no impact on them,' he says.

He added that young people were driven by a 'strong emotional commitment to equality'. This is something to respect and admire, he says.

In the opinion of St Ignatius' rector Father Ross Jones, Catholic couples can 'in good conscience' have sexual relationships for reasons besides procreation under the 'order of reason' school of Natural Law.

Presumably, same-sex couples, who make such a commitment to each other in good conscience, do so by reflecting on experience and on what it is to be human, using their God-given reason, he says.

Pope Francis wrote in Amoris Laetitia that a person's "individual conscience needs to be incorporated into the Church's praxis in certain situations which do not objectively embody our understanding of marriage".

The Catholic Church teaches that sexual relations are reserved for married couples - consisting of one man and one woman - in the context of sacramental marriage.

"In forming a response to this issue, a properly formed and informed conscience would take into account both the teachings of the Church about the sacrament of marriage, as well as the teachings of the Church about human dignity, which of course includes LGBTI people," St Ignatius school said in a joint statement attributed to Fr Jones and school principal Paul Hine.

"A discerned response to these issues means holding all of these teachings together," they said.

Source

• Daily Mail
• The New Daily
• LifeSite
• The Herald
• Image: ABC

Catholics were the most likely people of faith to indicate they would vote yes in the upcoming postal vote, along with non-Christian religions, a new poll found. Read more

Stefan Lofven says as they are members of Sweden's State church which agreed in a recent Synod that it would support same sex marriage, all priests should do the same.

If they don't want to do this they should leave the Church, he says.

Lofven also says only priests who agree with same-sex marriage should be ordained.

Although the Synod did agree to performing same-sex marriage, it does not require individual priests to carry out the weddings if they don't want to.

The church currently allows priests to choose to refuse to perform weddings, baptisms, and funerals.

Lofven likens the priest-and-gay-marriage situation with that of Swedish midwives who refuse to perform abortions.

"If you work as a midwife must be able to perform abortions, otherwise you have to do something else. It is the same for priests who do not want to perform same-sex marriages," he says.

Source

• Breitbart
• RT
• Image: Pace Vegas

After a debate at the Synod in 2014, a working group was established to find a way for opponents and supporters of same-sex marriage to co-exist in the Church, while upholding the traditional doctrine of marriage.

The group has now published its report, A Way Forward.

The report proposes a compromise solution in which dioceses could decide if they wished to opt into offering a blessing in church for couples who had entered into a civil same-sex marriage.

It argues that, because it is offering new liturgies only to bless civil marriages, it does not depart from the traditional doctrine of marriage, which the Church will continue to hold can exist only between a man and a woman.

There was division, however, in the group, which included priests, bishops, and lay members. "While working-group members agree that they have met the brief given, they were not and are not of one mind on many issues.

Their manner of proceeding in unity without unanimity was at times arduous," the report states.

The proposals are described as a pastoral accommodation of the Church's unchanged doctrine of marriage, similar to the way those who are not baptised, or who are divorced and whose former spouse is still alive, are now also allowed to marry in church.

If the Synod, which is due to meet in May, approves the report, the first blessings for same-sex marriages could take place in 2018.

The liturgy portion of the package would require the majority of diocesan synods to vote for the changes, and a two-thirds majority in each House of the General Synod.

Source

• churchtimes.co.uk
• Image: www.churchtimes.co.uk

Singh claims that the prime minister has violated section 26 of the Fiji constitution, and he should be charged under the criminal code.

Bainimarama made an off the cuff response after watching a FBC TV programme, broadcast in early in January, 'Have Your Say'.

The programme which made references to the Constitution, equality and same sex marriage, featured Shamima Ali, the Women's Crisis Centre co-ordinator.

Ali said after the programme was aired that she last spoke to FBC TV last November and she did not say anything on same sex marriage.

Fiji Sun, reported that Bainimarama said "Tell Shamima Ali, there will be no same sex marriage in Fiji, a topic pushed by NGOs such as hers under the issue of human rights."

He added: "Not in her lifetime and not in ours."

"They should not be confused with the wording of the Constitution about the equality and love for one another."

The Constitution, he stressed, did not refer to equality as the opportunity for same sex marriage or love for all as love by Sakaraia for Ropate ending at the altar.

For a woman who wants to get married to another woman he said: "Go and have it done in Iceland and stay and live there."

"Fiji does not need that rubbish."

Jasmine Kaur, founder of the gay activist group Oceania Pride, called the prime minister's comment hateful and intolerant, and she has called for him to apologize.

"He actually needs to apologize to the LGBTIQ community," she said. "We need to create a culture of acceptance not (in)tolerance, and that is what I would like him to teach the nation."

Sexual activity between people of the same sex has been legal in Fiji since 2010. Same-sex marriage, however, has been expressly banned in the country since 2002. (It has been legal in Iceland since 2010.)

Source

• lifesitenews.com
• www.radionz.co.nz
• fijisun.com.fj
• huffingtonpost.com
• Image: www.radionz.co.nz

In an interview with The Hindu, Cardinal Oswald Gracias said he knows "there is still research being done whether it's a matter of choice or matter of orientation and there are two opinions on this matter".

"But I believe maybe people have this orientation that God has given them and for this reason they should not be ostracised from society," the Archbishop of Mumbai said.

He said he supports the repeal of a section of India's penal code that criminalises homosexual acts.

Cardinal Gracias also rejected judgmental language about LGBT people, and said the Church and Indian society should be more welcoming towards them.

"Asian society is very traditional and the Indian society, in particular, is very traditional and resists change. [It] doesn't want to be destabilised perhaps.

"That is why I think sometimes that if society is not ready then maybe we shouldn't push against it as there will be a backlash.

"But on the other hand, a group should not suffer because of that. We have to get these people integrated into society."

He said he recently ordered a priest to tone down his language in speaking publicly on the issue.

"The Church in India and also worldwide has a role to play in forming the mentality of people and the thinking of people," Cardinal Gracias said.

"We should be more welcoming of people from the LGBT community and certainly less judgemental in our approach.

"In fact, we just had a meeting of bishops last month where frankly everybody agreed that we have been speaking a little too harshly about them.

"The Church also has an important role to play in providing [LGBT people with] a sense of security.

"It's not just that they should be tolerated, they should also be accepted. For many of them, through no fault of their own, this is a great suffering."

Cardinal Gracias, who is a member of the Pope's advisory C9 council of cardinals, noted that the Church does not accept gay marriage.

Sources

• The Hindu
• Pink News
• La Stampa
• Image: Church Militant

Hewat forfeited his licence 12 months ago, when he refused to submit to the church hierarchy in a move to allow gay marriage.

When he left the church, his congregation, some had been there 60 years or more, left with him. Continue reading

American Samoa Attorney General Talauega Eleasalo Ale hasn't been ready to take that step.

"We're still reviewing the decision to determine its applicability to American Samoa, and I have no specific comments at this time," he said.

Asked if same-sex marriage is legal in the territory, Ale said, "I don't know. We're reviewing the law."

• "It should be unquestioned," said Rose Cuison Villazor, a professor at University of California, Davis' law school and an expert on territorial law. "The Supreme Court's decision was pretty strong."
• For gay marriage to be recognized in American Samoa, there needs to be a voluntary decision or litigation, said Chimene Keitner, an expert on territorial status issues at University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
• U.S. territories have some self-governance rights. The right to marry, however, isn't a question of self-governance, said Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, staff attorney for national gay rights group Lambda Legal. "This is a question of individual right, individual liberty," he said.

Christian churches with conservative social views dominate in American Samoa, home to about 50,000.

The government's motto is "Samoa, Let God Be First."

The territory has a tradition of embracing faafafine - males who are raised as females and take on feminine traits.

There are many faafafine who aren't supportive of gay marriage out of "respect for our Samoan culture and religious beliefs," said well-known faafafine Princess Auvaa.

Auvaa said she wants gay marriage to be legal in American Samoa. If it's determined that it is, she said, "I would be the first person to apply for a marriage license - if I had a boyfriend who would agree to marriage."

Source

• nzherald.co.nz
• Image: aleteia.org

Mr McCoskrie, the Family First national director, has not renewed his licence as a celebrant because he rejects the state definition of marriage, he announced on his blog. continue reading

Dolan talked about gay marriage and the US Affordable Care Act with David Gregory on NBC's "Meet the Press" in an interview.

"Regardless of the church teachings, do you think this is evolving in such a way that it's ultimately going to be legal everywhere?" Gregory asked.

"I think I'd be a Pollyanna to say there doesn't seem to be kind of a stampede to do this," Dolan responded. "I regret that."

Dolan made the comments in the midst of a wave of same-sex marriage legislation across the United States.

Hawaii and Illinois most recently legalized same-sex marriage in November, and the first weddings under Hawaii's law will took place Monday. Gay marriages are now legal in 16 states and the District of Columbia.

Dolan suggested the church has been "outmarketed."

"We've been caricatured as anti-gay," he said, adding that the church is "pro-traditional-marriage" and "not anti-anybody."

While Pope Francis has garnered attention for arguing that the church should devote less energy to fighting gay marriage and focus more on helping the poor, US bishops have been vocally opposed to same-sex marriage legislation.

Sources

Los Angeles Times
New York Daily News
Fox News
Image: AP/Fox News

The protester, Alexander David Course from Waikaretu, Waikato, faced three charges in Auckland District Court, including having an offensive weapon in a public place.

He gatecrashed the Gay Wedding expo at Ellerslie Event Centre last Sunday, smashing a stall and threatening exhibitors and customers, with pages of the Bible pinned to his chest. Continue reading

Statistics Minister Maurice Williamson said the information shows:

• One third of same sex marriages were for overseas residents.
• 47 of the 117 marriages were couples who transferred their civil union to marriage .
• There were 61 female couples and 56 males couples wed.

The number of same sex marriages for the September quarter represents about 4% of the 2798 marriages registered in New Zealand.

After the first rush of same-sex couples exercising their new right to marry, the number tying the knot has evened out to about 13 a week, statistics suggest.

The Manurewa MP, Louisa Wall said it was great so many same-sex couples were choosing marriage.

"I'm pleased that having created the opportunity [for marriage] that so many people are taking it."

Ms Wall said the high number of foreign same-sex couples marrying in New Zealand was something she had underestimated.

Source

• The New Zealand Herald
• Yahoo.com
• The New Zealand Herald
• Image: Stuff.co.nz/Greg Bowker

The vote came after nearly 12 hours of testimony from the public, as more than 400 people addressed lawmakers during Monday's public hearing before the Senate committee.

In addition, Senate clerks say more than 4,000 pages of written testimony were also filed.

The Hawai'i Marriage Equality Act of 2013 recognises marriages between individuals of the same gender. Continue reading

The church will next month hold a two-day event entitled "God wants more gay weddings? Marriage equality and the church." Australian preacher Karl Hand, an openly gay theologian, will give talks at the event on sexual diversity and the Bible.

Worship leader Neil Hellewell said he thought the event would be a "great opportunity to look at same-sex weddings and the church". Continue reading

Labour MP Louisa Wall's Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill, allowing same-sex couples to marry, has passed its third reading and final vote in Parliament.

In front of a packed public gallery 77 MPs voted in favour, and 44 voted against the bill.

Speaking before the final reading of the marriage bill, John Dew, the Catholic Archbishop of Wellington, and the President of the NZ Catholic Bishops' Conference, said that for him it was important to express the church's view that marriage should be between one man and one woman for the purposes of procreation.

Dew distanced himself from the more extreme and offensive lobbying that took place in the days leading up to the final passage of the marriage bill.

He said he had wanted a robust, vigorous and respectful debate.

"We certainly don't espouse to any extremist views," he said.

"From our point of view we do believe that there has been a respectful listening to each other."

Dew said he would have liked more time for the full implications of the move to be considered because "some people would think if it's legal it's moral."

After the marriage bill was passed the New Zealand Catholic Bishops expressed their deep sadness that, despite the fact that such a large percentage of the public are opposed to it, the marriage bill had become law.

Archbishop Dew said, "We find it bizarre that what has been discarded is an understanding of marriage that has its origin in human nature and common to every culture, and that almost all references to husband and wife will be removed from legislation referencing marriage. We know many New Zealanders stand with us in this."

"Marriage is the essential human institution that predates religion and state. It is a committed union between a man and a woman which has a natural orientation towards the procreation of new human life," Dew said.

"Marriage is founded on sexual difference and the traditional definition of marriage reflects this unique reality."

"This uniqueness requires a name and definition which distinguishes marriage from any other form of relationship," he said.

He concluded by saying "We've been assured that our religious freedom to teach and practice marriage according to our religious beliefs is protected and we will continue to ensure that this freedom is upheld."

Before the debate, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English said the law change was harmless but he would not be supporting the bill, as he did not think it was the benchmark for equality.

"It does seem a bit odd that an institution that is becoming much less used and much less popular has now become the benchmark for equal treatment of people.

"People can have equal treatment (if) they get registered by the state with their relationship; we've got plenty of room for a range of arrangements."

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• TVNZ NEWS
• Radio New Zealand
• New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference
• Image: Stuff.co.nz

"The law can't force a church to host anyone's wedding. And that won't change," she says.

"What will change is that loving couples, regardless of their sex, sexual orientation or gender, will be free to marry.

"My Bill preserves the right of churches to decide who can marry in their church in the same way it preserves the right of a marriage celebrant or minister to decline to solemnise a marriage of a couple.

"The Bill is about fairness and choice. How and where people marry is not the issue."

Continue reading