The bishops yesterday made yet another appeal to protect the traditional family unit, based on a marriage between a man and a woman.
As they greeted members of the public to exchange New Year greetings, Archbishop Paul Cremona called for the protection of the family built upon marriage between a man and a woman.
He noted that yesterday was the feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth, saying the occasion reminded the faithful of the dignity of the family which, as the Lord willed, consisted of a man and a woman who would procreate.
He insisted that the Church authorities “had nothing against anyone” and that “we love everyone” but added that marriage was a natural institution that had to be “preserved” by society.
He said the message was being made in the context of legalisation providing for same-sex partnerships and granting the right to gay couples to adopt.
When Parliament reconvenes after the Christmas recess, MPs will continue debating the Civil Unions Bill, which gives same-sex couples the same rights and duties as married couples, including adoption.
The Bill has already been approved in the second reading and is now in committee stage when each clause is debated.
Mgr Cremona said the Church had a duty to speak about what affected society because it “was not cut off from the world”. Marriage between a man and a woman had to be respected, he insisted.
Mgr Cremona was accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna, who told The Sunday Times of Malta yesterday that Pope Francis was “shocked” when he learnt of Malta’s Civil Unions Bill allowing gay adoptions.
He said the Pope encouraged him to “speak out” on the issue, hence his decision to use the Christmas homily to reiterate that the family unit had to be based on a man and a woman.
Reacting to Mgr Cremona’s message, the Malta Gay Rights Movement said the timing of it at Christmastime was “appalling” and that while the Church had the right to its opinion, it was spreading “a message of hate” rather than a message of acceptance of diverse family forms.