TORONTO, May 3, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – An analysis by Catholic Insight magazine reveals that 72.4% of Catholic Members of Parliament in Canada have committed to voting in favour of homosexual ‘marriage’. The magazine’s report indicates that only 27.6% will vote in favour of traditional marriage.
This majority of Canadian Catholic MPs who will vote for same-sex ‘marriage’ comes despite the fact that the Vatican has stated categorically: “When legislation in favour of the recognition of homosexual unions is proposed for the first time in a legislative assembly, the Catholic law-maker has a moral duty to express his opposition clearly and publicly and to vote against it. To vote in favour of a law so harmful to the common good is gravely immoral.” Of note, although that statement was issued by the Vatican in 2003 to date the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has not related it to Canadian politicians.
Catholic Insight relates that outside Quebec 60% of Catholic MPs will vote in favour of homosexual ‘marriage’ however Catholic MPs in the province of Quebec drive up the average since 93% are committed to voting in favour of the bill.
Catholic Insight editor Rev. Alphonse de Valk told LifeSiteNews.com that the situation is somewhat mitigated by the fact that Liberal Catholic MPs who belong to the cabinet are coerced to support the legislation under pain of losing their positions and perhaps being ousted from the party.
Nonetheless, Fr. de Valk says, “The results are revealing of the failure of the Catholic community to evangelize Canadian Catholics.” While he is encouraged that several bishops have spoken out on the issue of late the Catholic Insight editor laments “The forty years of virtual silence on marital moral sexual issues form the Canadian bishops.”
With files from Catholic Insight.