Referendum poses threat to meaning of marriage – bishop

Church focusing on importance of the family-founded on the marriage of a man and woman.

Archbishop Michael Neary has warned that many of the problems in society today have roots in the “dysfunctions found in the breakup of the family”.

In a homily in St Mary’s Church in Westport at the weekend, the Archbishop of Tuam insisted the family is central “for the flourishing of human society”. “The good of persons and of society is affected by the healthy state of the family,” he said.

Archbishop Neary also spoke about the importance of the family-founded on the marriage of a man and woman.

“The family-founded on the marriage of a man and woman is the place where children can best encounter and know God: it is a school of faith and values: is where the mutual self-giving and faithfulness of husband and wife provide a secure and protected place where young life can flourish, where children can develop, mature and grow to adulthood assuming their own responsibilities as members of society,” he said.

Meanwhile, the chair of the Irish Bishops Council for Marriage and the Family has called for prayers for all families, especially those experiencing hardship or difficulty.

Statement

In a statement issued for the Feast of the Holy Family, Bishop Liam MacDaid said the Church “must always offer a place of welcome to families in all circumstances, and especially to those who find themselves in difficulties”.

Separately, the Bishop of Elphin urged people to weigh the arguments carefully on next year’s referendum on marriage warning it is not about the equal dignity of every person.

In his Christmas message, Bishop Kevin Doran underlined that the equal dignity of every person is beyond doubt.

However, he said the forthcoming referendum, which is planned for May, is about the meaning of marriage.

If passed, the referendum will “change the meaning of marriage and raise serious questions about parenthood”, he said.