Antonio Mennini calls for faith alliance against gay marriage

Antonio Mennini, the Apostolic Nuncio, has called for an alliance of faiths to fight against gay marriage.

Mennini has called for the formation of an alliance between Catholics, other Christians and other faiths to fight against the government’s proposals to introduce civil gay marriage to the England and Wales. Mennini made his call for a coalition of faith groups to an audience of Catholic Bishops, from England & Wales, at a meeting in Leeds.
Pink News reports the Apostolic Nuncio as saying ‘I wonder if we shouldn’t ask for and look for more support among other Christian confessions and indeed, persons of other faiths. It seems to me that, concerning the institution of marriage, and indeed the sanctity of human life, we have much in common with the position of the Jewish community, the Chief Rabbi and many of the more significant representatives of Islam’
The Catholic Church has been the most vocal opponent of gay marriage both in England and Scotland where the SNP led administration is pushing ahead with its own proposals on the issue. Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the head of the Catholic Church in England, called gay marriage a ‘grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right’. The Cardinal has also compared the legalisation of gay marriages to the legalisation of slavery – such comments drew considerable criticism.
However, the Catholic Church is not alone in its opposition to marriage equality with the Church of England also stating its opposition. However, there has also been several notable spilt within the Church over the proposals with calls for the Church to accept and welcome the proposals. Representatives of the Islamic and Sikh faiths have also criticised the proposals.
Not all religious groups are opposed to the plans though with Quakers, Liberal Jews and Pagans just some of the groups to support marriage equality.

Written by Martha Kirkpatrick, LGBT editor