3rd Sunday of Advent 16th December 2012

An Alternative Nativity Given the current drive for gay marriage, I wonder how long it will be before variations on the traditional nativity scene start to appear on Christmas cards. In response to this proposed legislation the Archbishops of Westminster and Southwark “urge everyone who cares about upholding the meaning of marriage in civil law to make their views known to their MPs clearly, calmly and forcefully, and without impugning the motives of others. It is not too late to stop this Bill.” So here are a few sound bites you might like to use. “There was no electoral mandate in any manifesto, no mention in the Queens’ speech; no serious or through consultation through a Green or White Paper, and a constant shifting of policy before even the Government response to the consultation was published.” Archbishops Vincent Nichols and Peter Smith The government has chosen to ignore the views of over 620,000 people who signed a petition for the current definition of marriage to remain. The Government is not able to offer a cast-iron guarantee of religious freedom not to be forced to celebrate such marriages because any protections are susceptible to amendments in future Parliaments and to challenges under equality laws in the European Court of Human Rights. Archbishop Peter Smith This is a tragic moment for British society with serious implications for religious freedom. Bishop Mark Davies. In sex education and citizenship classes will it become compulsory for Catholic teachers to say that there is equivalence between same-sex marriage and the traditional form as we have it today? Bishop Michael Campbell The Prime Minister is luring the people of England away form their Christian values and Christian patrimony, and forcing upon us a brave new world, artificially engineered. Bishop Philip Egan. I hope you will do as the Archbishops ask. And while you’re at it, send a religious card to our Prime Mister too. I’m sure it will make his Christmas. Fr Kevin