EUROPE/SPAIN - Same sex ‘marriage’: Spanish Bishops reflect on ‘conscientious objection’: “To oppose dispositions which are immoral and contrary to reason, does not mean going against anyone, but standing for the truth and the good of every human person”

Madrid (Fides Service) - “It is our duty to speak out clearly at this moment when Spain is about to retrograde on the path of civilisation with an unprecedented law which would seriously harm the fundamental rights of marriage, the family, young people and educators” the Bishops of Spain said in a statement issued on 6 May by the Conference’s standing committee with the title “On conscientious objection with regard to a radically unjust law which perverts the institution of marriage”. The Bishops say the new legal definition which Parliament intends to give to matrimony is “ flagrant negation of fundamental anthropological facts and authentic overturning of the most basic principles of social order”.
“With regard to the eventual approval of this unjust law - the Bishops say - we wish once again to underline the consequences of this step”. The Bishops say the normative “perverts the institution of marriage” it is “legal falsification of matrimony” which would cause enormous harm to children adopted by same sex couples.
The Bishops say the amendement in question “is not a law because it contradicts reason and goes against moral norms” and because “a civil law cannot contradict reason without losing its power to oblige in conscience”. The Bishops say Catholics must oppose the law firmly and decisively saying that “everyone has the right to object according to conscience. The country’s democratic order is bound to respect fundamental freedom of conscience and to guarantee its exercise”. The Bishops conclude by saying “to take a stance against immoral dispositions which are contrary to reason does not mean going against anyone, but rather standing for the truth and the good of every human person”. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 7/5/2005, righe 23, parole 298)