Bishops of Northern Ireland issue statement on same-sex marriage
November 03, 2015
The bishops of Northern Ireland issued a statement on same-sex marriage on the eve of an assembly debate on the issue.
Same-sex marriage has become part of the legal landscape elsewhere in the British Isles.
“The truth about marriage derives from its intrinsic nature as a relationship based on the complementarity of a man and woman and the unique capacity of this relationship alone to generate new life,” the bishops said on November 2. “This truth does not change with the shifting tides of historical custom or popular opinion.”
The proposal “is also completely silent on the vital issue of respect for individual religious conscience and protections for Churches and other religious groups,” the bishops added. “Those who vote in favor of this motion have no way of knowing what the full consequences of such a vote will be.”
On November 3, the measure passed in a 53-52 vote, but was ultimately blocked in a parliamentary maneuver by the majority Democratic Unionist Party.
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Further information:
- Open letter by the Catholic Bishops in Northern Ireland to members of the Legislative Assembly on the debate on ‘same-sex’ marriage (Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference)
- Same-sex marriage: Proposal wins assembly majority but fails over DUP block (BBC)
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