Ottawa, Canada, Jul 20, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Same-sex marriage may be the law of the land in Canada, but “the fundamental and universal reality of marriage remains the exclusive union of a man and a woman for life” and Catholics must continue to oppose same-sex marriage, said the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.
“From the perspective of the Catholic Church, the new federal statute denatures the moral values and principles,” the bishops stated, noting that a number of Catholic politicians voted in favor of the bill.
The CCCB issued its statement after Bill C-38 officially became law Wednesday. Supreme Court Justice Beverley McLauchlin issued royal assent, standing in for Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, who is on medical leave. The Senate had approved the bill in a late-night vote Tuesday.
But the bishops believe this debate is “far from over” and that same-sex marriage will be a significant issue in the upcoming federal election, expected in the spring.