OTTAWA, JUNE 2, 2005 (Zenit.org).- An official of the Canadian bishops’ conference sent a letter urging the members of the Senate and the House of Commons not to rush a same-sex «marriage» bill into law.
Monsignor Mario Paquette, general secretary of the conference, sent the letter today voicing concerns over Bill C-38.
«Historically, the interest of the State in marriage — namely, the creation and nurturing of the next generation of citizens — has defined the natural limits of the institution of marriage,» the letter said.
«Once this interest is undermined, there are no longer any definable limits, and marriage as the most basic of all social institutions becomes meaningless,» it added.
«Canadians are deeply divided on the proposal to redefine marriage,» Monsignor Paquette continued. «This is not the moment to rush into legislation which has such enormous social and legal consequences. Continued reflection, research, study and discussion are needed in order to ensure the best for our society and for children who are its future.»
The monsignor referred to a brief sent by the bishops’ conference May 18 to the Special Legislative Committee on Bill C-38. The brief noted the importance of marriage in a society.
«When a society issues arbitrary laws that reject the primacy of natural law,» it stated, «the result is not only the risk of social chaos and disorder but, as the 20th century witnessed, a potential basis for state totalitarianism.»
