TORONTO, May 25, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The massive rally for traditional marriage held in front of Ontario’s provincial legislature Monday had religious leaders from varied faith backgrounds all calling on Catholic Prime Minister Paul Martin to live up to his Catholic faith and stop trying to destroy marriage.
As leaders from different faith communities began discussing the Prime Minister’s Catholicism, many Catholics in the crowd felt an initial twinge of concern as if Martin’s dissent from truth had tainted the perception of the Catholic faith. However, when the statements of the different leaders concluded, they were met with deafening applause. Evidently, the strong leadership and the Canadian Catholic Prime Minister.
Muslim Imam Suleiman Yacoob, during his address to the assembled crowd said of the Prime Minister, “He says he professes to be a Catholic.” The Imam continued, “And he attended the funeral of Pope John Paul in Rome. And all along Pope John Paul has been saying for a man to marry a man and a woman to marry a woman is not the law of God.” Imam Yacoob concluded, “So again to Paul Martin – What brand of Catholicism is he practicing?”
Jewish Rabbi Mendel Kaplan spoke of the Torah, the bible, as a “frequent guest” across the country in courts and parliaments. He deplored the federal government’s push to legalize homosexual ‘marriage’ and said, “Today I ask the Prime Minister when he placed his hand on the bible and he swore and took an oath to protect Canadian values and our society, what was he thinking?” After the applause died down, he continued, “In whose bible does he place his faith and trust if not in the bible and inalienable word of the almighty. My friends, that very same bible makes very clear with regard to the convention of marriage, the torah states unequivocally ‘therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife.’”
Rally organizer, Presbyterian Minister Rev. Tristan Emmanuel challenged Martin by picking up on mainstream media descriptions of Martrin as a ‘devout Catholic’. “I appeal to you on the basis of your ‘devout’ Catholic faith,” said Rev. Emmanuel. “At his funeral you said many good things about the Pope. You were right, he was a great man, he was a great defender of marriage and family and of human life.” To sustained thunderous applause, the Presbyterian Minister concluded his remarks saying, “Mr. Martin if you really, truly respect Pope John Paul II, then I can think of no better way you can pay your last respects to this man than to follow his instructions and withdraw bill C-38 (the legislation seeking to legalize homosexual ‘marriage’).”
Toronto Catholic Bishop Emeritus Pearce Lacey, who knows all too well the numerous efforts that have been made by Catholic leaders in Canada to gently call Prime Minister Martin to an authentic practice of his faith, expressed frustration at the scandalous behaviour of the Prime Minister. In addition to direct entreaties by Martin’s own bishop, Ottawa Bishop Marcel Gervais, countless Catholics have urged him to stop setting such a terrible example of Catholicism. Moreover, Calgary Bishop Fred Henry has informed his flock that the media’s description of Martin as a ‘devout Catholic’ is a misnomer. Bishop Henry has said openly he would deny Martin communion and would consider excommunicating him, were he Martin’s bishop.
Bishop Lacey concluded his remarks to the marriage rally with these words, “You know what galls me, I repeat what galls me so much is that the Prime Minister and a number of them can claim to be Christians.”