Over 1 Million March Against Gay Marriage in France

“Manif pour tous” (Manifestation in Favor of All), held another demonstration on Sunday, May 26, which gathered more than a million people, who called for the withdrawal of the  recently approved same-sex “marriage” law signed by President François Hollande.

The law was approved by the National Assembly, and the movement is attempting to avoid new legislative initiatives by the Socialist government, such as the adoption of children by homosexual couples.

Monsignor Tony Anatrella, psychoanalyst and specialist in social psychiatry, consultor of the Pontifical Councils for the Family and for Health Care Ministry, was one of the first to warn about the claims of homosexual “marriage,” the adoption of minors and other such matters derived from the gender ideology.

Anita Bourdin, coordinator of ZENIT’s French service, carried out a lengthy interview with Monsignor Anatrella, in which the prelate gave some keys to interpret the demonstration, such as “the spiritual strength that was manifested through the participants, who have awakened politically in favor of marriage and the family. He said that “essentially, people mobilized and nothing will discourage them from having the law abrogated of a lobby that reduces the family to what it isn’t.”

“A political conscience has awakened in thousands of young people to fight against this disastrous law and the Veilleurs (individuals in vigil) prepare in silence, reflection and prayer the future that will remain thanks to them,” he added.

The Veilleurs are not an official organization. They coordinate with one another on  social networks, such as Twitter. They meet in the public squares of the principal cities of France. They read texts on freedom, peace and the family

Monsignor Anatrella also pointed out that “the atmosphere of the manifestations is essentially that of the family and not of extremists, or violent robbers as they are depicted by some of the media. And the manifestations have been exemplary,” he added.

He recalled that on May 26, there were more than one million protesters, but the police services said there were only 150,000, which is neither serious nor credible.“ They did everything to minimize and discredit the phenomenon,” he said.

“In the last days arbitrary arrests were made by the police as, for instance, of individuals wearing shirts with the acronym ‘Manif pour tous,’ and others who took photographs or put flags on the street,” he specified. He also criticized the “belated manifestations of extremists that have nothing to do with ‘Manif pour tous.’”

Monsignor Anatrella explained that “the confusion of sex and feelings leads to a confusion of the realities and an impasse. Marriage between persons of the same sex is simply ridiculous and the act doesn’t inspire any esteem as it doesn’t contribute at all to social relation.”

He wondered if the present political leaders have a sense of reality or if they live in a world of asexuals. He added that 22,000 of the 36,000 municipalities are opposed to the law and announced that they will refuse to celebrate this type of marriage.

There was no room for debate. Certain objections were understood but not taken into account and even less so, reflected upon. And they were slighted by the law, worse yet, they were imposed -- a confusion that is going to give way to psychological, social and juridical confusions.” Not even trade unions’ protests are as mistreated as these have been of young people and adults,” he said.

The consultor of the Pontifical Council for the Family said that “only a contract of goods  open to all would be the most appropriate, rather than wishing to play Daddy and Mommy without having the appropriate characteristics.

On February 15 of this year “Manif pour tous,” movement that describes itself as peaceful, anti-homophobe and apolitical, deposited the first 694,428 signatures of the petition against the project ‘Marriage for All,” in the Economic, Social and Environmental Council of France. Taking part in its manifestations were the Poissons roses, Alliance vita, Plus gay without marriage, of Xavier Bongibault, and Christian, Muslim and Jewish religious leaders.