‘Church has nothing to fear’ -AME
Marriage equality advocates have moved to quell fears about calls to reform the Marriage Act by reiterating that churches will not be made to perform same-sex marriages when such marriages are legally allowed.
The re-assurance was made after Perth’s Archbishop Barry Hickey told the Catholic The Record newspaper that his archdiocese would stop conducting all legal marriages if forced to marry same-sex couples.
“We can’t celebrate them,” Hickey said. “The ban on sodomy is still there. We can’t bless a relationship with an inbuilt defect in it.”
“We cannot do those marriages at all. And if the law forces us to, we cancel our registration as marriage celebrants.”
Hickey also said his Church might refuse to conduct funerals for people who entered into same-sex marriages.
“Do we bury them? I haven’t worked that out yet,” Hickey said, “It is the Christian duty to bury the dead, to forgive sins, and to say it’s all in the hands of God.”
“It might be case by case, I just don’t know.”
Australian Marriage Equality (AME) spokesman Rodney Croome said that when the Marriage Act was reformed, Catholic celebrants would not be compelled to marry them in the same way that they were already not compelled to marry non-Catholics or Catholics who had divorced.
“Overseas, the recognition of same-sex marriages in civil law co-exists with the freedom of faith communities not to recognise these marriages, and the same will happen in Australia,” Croome said.
Croome was disappointed by the Archbishop’s comments over whether the Church could bury same-sex married partners.
“Most Australians will consider it hardhearted to deny someone their final wish of a faith-based funeral just because they are in a loving, committed, officially recognised union with someone of the same sex,” Croome said.
Croome invited the Archbishop to meet same-sex partners and their families.
“When the Archbishop meets real same-sex couples living real lives he will see the only ‘inbuilt defect’ we have to deal with is the legal discrimination he upholds against us,” Croome said.
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As an openly gay man, I know the worst thing I can do for my mental health is to be a Papal pleaser.
I think that it tragic that the Catholic Church has nothing to fear both the church and the clergy should be afraid, very afraid. This churches history and record should mean that it is quaking in its shoes assuming the clergy really do believe in a God and an afterlife. The sins that this church and its clergy have committed and condoned over the past two thousand years must surely be an abomination on to the Lord.
Does Archbishop Barry Hickey get any assurance from opposite-sex couples that they will not commit “sodomy” before he will marry them? Well, he has no right to presume about same-sex couples, either.
Maybe the good Archbishop can salve his conscience about burying same-sex couples by doing it the way they used to bury suicides, outside consecrated ground, at a crossroads, with stakes through their hearts.
Beautifully said Fox Swan. I too am Catholic but sadly no longer feel like one after facing so much discrimination from the Pope and the church. God is love. It is just man who’s doing all the hating!
I am an ex- catholic and have four great priest ready to marry me when I find the right guy.. Sad when this person “speaks” for the church, as a hierarchal structure he will have to foot the company line .. From Rome and in law with countries regulation. As Australia will be following a path set by several other countries he should get his head out of his popes “nose” so to speak …
It is interesting that ” murder” as in abortion is less of an issue for him and I wonder if he has married any couples where one or both partners have dealt with this issue and god forbid even buried them…
I think the best quote is do not judge least ye be judged and found unworthy… Jesus I’m sure would love to break bread at a gay marriage and might even supply the wine! God is love… Man is hate… Practice your fairytales how you want them…