Posted on 05/02/2007 6:54:35 PM PDT by Teófilo
Archbishop adopts a "Solomonic solution" .
Folks, this is interesting. In Puerto Rico, an ongoing revision of the century-old Civil Code has raised the possibility that same-sex marriage and adoptions be recognized by law in the Commonwealth. The Archbishop of San Juan, Roberto Octavio González Nieves has, in turn, adopted a very interesting strategy that, if accepted by Puerto Rico's Legislative Assembly, will sidestep the issue by creating something the Archbishop calls "a shared union."
In a presentation he made in legislative hearings, Archbishop González stated that if the current language of the new Civil Code is left standing, "only two persons who living in an affective relationship under the same roof in a de facto union equal to marriage would benefit [from the law]. People who live under the same roof but joined, not by a relationship of an affective nature, but because of blood ties, or because of friendship and fraternity would be discriminated against."
Archbishop González pointed out that "we object to the current [Civil Code] draft if the state's intention is to extend benefits and rights to a segment of the population by redefining marriage and creating new institutions equal to marriage and family by legislative fiat. Marriage is a central institution deserving every protection of the state since it is the only institution which has existed in every civilization in every age from time immemorial for its anthropological origins as an immutable natural right."
The Archbishop of San Juan proposes that the "juridical concept of de facto unions be removed from the draft Code and be replaced by a new juridical concept which may be termed 'shared union'." He suggested that "shared unions" be defined as "one constituted by two or more persons, living under the same roof, sharing amongst themselves a set of rights and duties derived from their common life or from a expressed pact."
When reminded by the presiding legislator that homosexual couples may take advantage of "shared unions" to legalize their relationships, Archbishop González replied that "the Church will not assume any position in that regard."
Before you blast the archbishop as a "liberal," consider this: I have seen similar proposals from William Buckley and others in the pages of National Review. The logic is elegant. No law singling homosexual persons as a class and as recipients of special rights will make it into the books; no law redefining marriage or normalizing same-sex attraction will be enacted. What the archbishop and other conservative intellectuals propose is for state to assume a truly neutral position regarding various modes of social and familial groupings. This neutrality mostly will benefit extended families living in the same households, and close, non-sexual friendships, where there's a sharing of rights and responsibilities.
Archbishop González has adopted a "double-effect" posture before the legislation. In pursuing the good of recognizing the rights and duties of extended families or fraternal "shared unions" living in the same household, he's willing to tolerate the lesser evil of same-sex "shared unions," as long as the state leaves traditional marriage and the family alone.
A Solomonic solution deserving consideration by Catholics everywhere.
- Read all source documents and links in Vivificat's sister site in Spanish.
PING!
Too bad that Gonzalez has precipitated mass defections from the Catholic Faith due to his “teoria de liberacion” leanings. Not to mention his overt support to socialist causes.
We don’t like him. The Mrs., my mom and I are regulars at the San Juan Cathedral, except when the Vico C Archbishop officiates. When he does we just walk out and stroll over to the St. Francis Church.
Thanks God for Free Will.
> Archbishop of San Juan, Puerto Rico backs “shared unions”
I presume he’s not talking about the AFL and the CIO...
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