Pope Benedict XVI last week denounced the approval of same-sex
marriage in Spain and Canada, calling such unions ‘the pseudo-marriage between
persons of the same sex.’ (Photo by Pier Paolo Cito/AP)
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Friday, July 08, 2005
VATICAN CITY — In its July 1 edition, the
Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano denounced approval of same-sex marriage
in Canada and Spain, calling the new laws in each country “violent and direct
attacks against the family,” Catholic World News reported. Just before the
June 30 vote to allow gay marriage in Spain, the Spanish Family Forum presented
lawmakers with a petition including the signatures of nearly 1 million voters
who oppose legal recognition for gay unions, L’Osservatore reported. The
group also led demonstrations in Madrid against the proposal, but the Spanish
parliament approved the measure. Two days earlier, the lower house of parliament
in Canada approved same-sex marriage, and the Canadian Senate is expected to do
the same later this month. Pope Benedict XVI, during a conference in the Rome
diocese on pastoral care of the family, said recognizing same-sex unions is one
factor that damages marriage in Western society. He talked about the “pseudo-marriage
between persons of the same sex,” L’Osservatore reported. The pope
previously has denounced efforts for gay marriage in the United States and other
countries around the world, following in the footsteps of his predecessor, the
late Pope John Paul II.
LONDON — The Methodist Church is on a path
to provide guidelines for same-sex union blessings, making it the first major
Christian denomination in Britain to offer consideration of such blessings,
UPI reported. The Methodist Church of Great Britain is a different denomination
than the much larger, worldwide United Methodist church. Members at the annual
Methodist conference unanimously voted to continue a “pilgrimage of faith”
toward gay people, allowing its faith and order committee to establish guidelines
for ministers on how to respond to requests for gay union blessings. Rev. Jonathan
Kerry, convener of the committee, told the Guardian that the guidance will be
published this fall. “People are saying if we register civil partnerships,
can we have prayers or services, is there something we can do in the church?
It would be OK in certain circumstances,” Kerry told the media. The move
comes prior to the British government’s anticipated move to allow gay
civil unions.
NEW YORK — A Jewish camp for children plans
to open its doors to children from interfaith, interracial and same-sex families,
according to a news release from the Foundation for Jewish Camping, which supports
the facility. Camp Welmet in Putnam Valley, N.Y., will allow children to feel
socially accepted in a summer sleep-away camp, according to camp officials.
Camp Welmet was founded in 1998 specifically to embrace multiculturalism. “Our
goal was to bring a diverse group of people together, breaking stereotypes and
breaking down walls,” Rita Santelia, assistant executive director of the
camp, said in the press release. “We wanted campers to unite by respecting
and appreciating their differences.” Leaders said about 30 of the camp’s
200 participants have gay parents or guardians. The camp works to hire counselors
who are gay or of different ethnicities as well, officials noted.
TUCSON — A regional Arizona branch of the
nation’s largest Lutheran denomination now officially is open to gay men
and lesbians, the Arizona Republic reported. The Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America’s Grand Canyon Synod is the 23rd of 65 synods in the country
to join a movement toward full acceptance of gays after a voice vote at the
synod’s annual assembly earlier this month. The synod, which includes
Arizona and parts of nearby states, voted to affirm that all people “are
welcome within the membership of the synod, and that, as members, are welcome
to full participation in the organizational and sacramental life of this church,”
the Republic reported. The vote came in response to a denominational study of
the issues, and support for the move was “overwhelming,” Bishop
Michael Neils said in a statement. Emily Eastwood, executive director of Lutherans
Concerned/North America, praised the vote. “We were delighted and surprised,”
said Eastwood, whose group supports full and open inclusion of people regardless
of their sexual orientation.
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