Ireland’s bishops have warned that passage of the same-sex referendum will “make it increasingly difficult” for people of faith to speak of their deeply held belief of marriage as that between a man and a woman.

The statement was presented by Archbishops Eamon Martin and Diarmuid Martin as the spring quarterly meeting of the Irish Bishops’ Conference continued. It poses a series of questions as to the impact on the Catholic community of a yes vote in the May referendum:

“What will we be expected to teach children in school about marriage? Will those who sincerely continue to believe that marriage is between a man and a woman be forced to act against their conscience? Can a way be found to protect the civil rights of gay people without undermining the fundamental meaning of marriage as commonly understood across cultures, faiths and down the ages?”
Already, the bishops pointed out, “in The Children and Family Relationships Bill, it is proposed to remove mention of mothers and fathers from a whole raft of previous legislation”.
Insisting that voices of faith communities must be heard during the run-up to the referendum, the bishops stated: “We respect the views of people who think differently to us, trusting that our sincerely held views, grounded in faith, will also be heard and respected.”
Reiterating that “marriage is of fundamental importance for children, mothers and fathers, and society”, the bishops stated that they cannot support any redefinition of marriage and urge voters to “reflect deeply before changing it. We ask the people of Ireland to consider very carefully the profound implications which this constitutional amendment would have on the family environment and on our understanding of parenthood.
“Marriage is important – Reflect before you change it.” The bishops’ statement can be read here.