Challenge The Church (progressive Catholics)

Press Release

January 15, 2005

Calgary Cleric’s Comments Reveal Larger Goal

The State Does Have a Place in the Bedrooms of the Nation

Lesbian and gay relationships equated to prostitution, pornography

Calgary Bishop Fred Henry’s call for governments to “proscribe or curtail” homosexuality is more worrisome evidence that many opponents of equal marriage want to defeat marriage legislation as a platform to pursue a broader agenda to limit the rights of lesbian and gay people in Canada.

In a pastoral letter distributed to Calgary Catholics today, Bishop Henry equated lesbian and gay people’s committed, loving relationships with prostitution and pornography.

“It is sometimes argued that what we do in the privacy of our home is nobody’s business. While the privacy of the home is undoubtedly sacred, it is not absolute. Furthermore, an evil act remains an evil act whether it is performed in public or in private,” he argued.

“It has become evident that defeating the equal-marriage bill is a must-win for those who want to roll back the clock on human rights,” said Helen Kennedy, spokesperson for Challenge The Church, a group of progressive Canadian Catholics. “Their goal is not just to defeat the bill. They want to use such a defeat as a platform—not just to continue the debate about marriage but to broaden that debate to include the very place of lesbian and gay people in our society. They want to turn back the clock.”

“It’s a sad day for gay and lesbian Catholics when a Canadian Catholic bishop describes our relationships as evil,” said Ms. Kennedy.

In 2003, Bishop Henry warned Catholic politicians that they might not get into heaven if they supported equality for lesbian and gay relationships.

An Environics poll released this week showed most Canadians continue support the government’s same-sex marriage legislation. Backing is particularly strong in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. More details are available http://erg.environics.net/news/default.asp?aID=570.

For more information contact:
Helen Kennedy
Challenge The Church (progressive Catholics)

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