DUBLIN, July 17, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – In an interview with Zenit News yesterday, Archbishop Terrence Prendergast of Halifax, Nova Scotia slammed the current move towards same-sex marriage saying it represents “an abrupt closure on a fundamental issue for democratic debate.”
Bishop Prendergast expressed discontent with the Liberal government for conceding to a court redefinition of marriage that transforms it into a meaningless “domestic partnership system for adults in a co-dependent relationship.” Regarding the recent court and government actions on marriage, the bishop complained that, “The breathless speed of these developments pushed aside the numerous contributions and concerns raised by Canadians at the parliamentary hearings.” Prendergast warned that a redefinition of marriage would have serious results, leading to “the further erosion of marriage as a unique and vital cultural institution. It would be reasonable to predict that this development points to more marital instability and further declines in marriage and birth rates.” Warning of imminent dangers for religious groups, he exclaimed that “This ominous legal development casts a very dark shadow over both religious freedom as well as freedom of speech itself… The courts are already cleansing the public square of views that do not fit with the ethos of sexual relativism that they seem determined to impose on Canadian society. There should be no illusions about the next stage in the imposition of this new public norm of marriage.”
Prendergast called on religious leaders across Canada to band together to defend marriage. “This watershed moment in the history of marriage in Canada is a call to action. They [religious leaders] must stand together and collaborate in this effort recognizing that they share common good in the health and vitality of marriage culture in Canada.” For the full Interview See Zenit News: The Dangers of Canada’s Move Toward Same-Sex Marriage: https://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=38949