---

Bishops of Canada Warn Lawsuits Coming over Teaching on Homosexuality

Bill Fails to Protect Charitable Status of Faith Groups Which Reject Gay ‘Marriage’

OTTAWA, February 4, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has issued comments on the government’s proposed same-sex ‘marriage’ law, bill C-38. In their comments, the Bishops say that while the “long-term social consequences of the proposed legislation are unknown,” one “can already anticipate” the coming “prolonged and divisive litigation across Canada” to “be free to teach and preach on marriage and homosexuality as consistent with one’s faith and conscience.”

The bishops’ conference also warns lawsuits are anticipated which will attempt to force faith groups to “use their facilities in preparations for or celebrations relating to ‘same-sex marriages’. In fact, one such challenge was recently launched in BC against the Catholic Church. (http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/jan/05012607.html )

The bishops note that their opposition to the Liberal same sex marriage bill, C-38, is “shared with millions of other Canadians of different faith traditions and of no religious affiliation.”

The CCCB points out that the legislation fails to protect faith groups’ charitable status. “In the one area where the Government of Canada is free to legislate on its own, the proposed legislation does not offer protection to faith groups from being penalized with respect to their charitable status if they do not agree with the proposed redefinition of marriage.”

See the CCCB comments on the bill online:
http://www.cccb.ca/PublicStatements.htm?CD=452&ID=1621

jhw

 Back to Top

---

MORE NEWS: LifeSiteNews.com Home Page  Last 10 Days   Archives   Special Reports

Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.