Church Disciplines Canadian MP for Supporting Same-Sex Marriage

On the brink of the same-sex marriage legislation in Canada, the Roman Catholic Church and evangelicals are highly concerned and have made full efforts to protest against the growing liberal stance towards same-sex unions in the country.

Bishop Ronald Fabbro of London Ontario has informed his priests Thursday of his decision to suspend the liturgical privileges and public Church activities of Windsor MP Joe Comartin, who is supporting the same-sex marriage C-38 bill.

The statement reads, "It is with sadness that I am informing you of a decision that it is my duty to make. This decision is prompted by a public statement made by Mr. Joe Comartin, Member of Parliament for Windsor-Tecumseh."

As a Roman Catholic and marriage counsellor, MP Joe Comartin spoke for same-sex marriage in the Parliament as he made his speech on 28th June. "One of my visions is that some day my church will allow those couples [in marriage preparation] to not only be heterosexual but also to be homosexual," he said.

"My vision says to me that some day this will happen. The Roman Catholic Church in this country and across the globe will follow the precedents that the United Church, the Quakers, the Metropolitan Church and any other number of Christian denominations have taken. This is about love; we will guarantee within our religious services that all couples will be treated equally."

Comartin’s statement has outraged the Church, as his beliefs contradict the traditional Catholic teachings and he may cause confusion among his fellow Catholics.

"I have decided that Mr. Comartin is not to give marriage preparation sessions within this diocese, and that he is not to engage in any liturgical ministries, for example, minister of the Eucharist or reader," said Bishop Fabbro.

"The issue...is that a person who does not accept Catholic teaching on fundamental matters is disqualified from acting on behalf of the Church in a public capacity. Marriage is, beyond doubt, a fundamental matter."

Furthermore, Bishop Fabbro continued to defend traditional marriage as in the Bible which is defined as a union between a man and a woman.

"By virtue of nature itself, marriage is a union of man and woman. As a natural institution, marriage predates any state, parliament, or court of law. No public institution has the authority to claim that marriage is something other than what it is. The issue is not one of rights; rather, it is a question of what the word ‘marriage’ means."

Currently, the same-sex marriage bill for all of Canada is waiting to cross the final hurdle in the Senate before it becomes a law. The House of Commons approved the bill last week, despite opposition from Conservatives and some members of the Liberal party.

The Senate began their debate on the bill last Sunday and approved a second reading by a 43 to 12 vote on Wednesday. The bill is expected to pass in the Liberal-dominated Senate. If it does, the bill would then have to be signed by the Governor General before becoming law.

Bishop Fabbro added the discipline actions remain effective until Cormartin changes his mind with regard to the moral status of homosexual activity and the use of the word ‘marriage’ with reference to some homosexual unions.