Mexican bishop calls on lawmakers not to approve gay unions

Mexico City, Mexico, Feb 5, 2007 / 12:14 pm

Bishop Luis Felipe Gallardo Martin del Campo of Veracruz is calling on local officials not to approve a new law for the state of Veracruz that would legalize gay unions and make them equivalent to marriage.

Recently the Lesbian, Gay, Transsexual, Transvestite and Transgender Collective announced it would introduce legislation similar to that passed other Mexican states that granted legal status to homosexual unions.

Speaking to reporters, Bishop Gallardo said the Church defends human nature and the value of the family founded upon marriage between one man and one woman.

“The big problem is that they want to make all of these things that are simply covenants, reciprocity contracts and mutual support equal to the family nature of marriage, without the need for calling it family, marriage, wedding and consequently they want to give them the same rights as homosexual marriage,” he explained.

“People are free to associate with each other for honest ends, that is a constitutional right,” the bishop said.  “What’s reprehensible from not only a Catholic but from an anthropological, basic and fundamental point of view, is to put oneself above the human nature that we all share.”