Oppose 'deviant' love, Pope urges

The Daily Mail ^ | October 20, 2006 | Staff

[MadIvan]

Pope Benedict today urged Italian Catholics to defend the traditional family and in an apparent reference to gay marriage said they should oppose any moves to legalise "weak and deviant" unions.

The Pope made his comments in a long, wide ranging speech to a national convention of Italy's politically powerful Roman Catholic Church in the northern Italian city of Verona, famous as the setting for Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

While he did not specifically mention gay marriage, thousands of listeners at the fairgrounds in Verona's outskirts strongly applauded the two parts of his speech about the family and "other forms of unions."

He urged them to fight "with determination...the risk of political and legislative decisions that contradict fundamental values and anthropological and ethical principles rooted in human nature."

The Pope said they had to defend "the family based on matrimony, opposing the introduction of laws on other forms of unions which would only destabilise it and obscure its special character and its social role, which has no substitute."

In another section of his speech, the Pope made another apparent reference to homosexual marriage, stating that the Church had to say "'no' to weak and deviant forms of love."

He said the Church wanted instead to say "'yes' to authentic love, to the reality of man as he was created by God."

Since his election in April 2005, Benedict has firmly backed the Roman Catholic Church's strong opposition to moves to legalise gay marriage or to legally recognise unwed heterosexual couples.

The centre-left coalition of Prime Minister Romano Prodi has promised some form of recognition for unmarried couples but has so far stopped short of openly supporting gay marriage.

But some leftist parties in the coalition, which ranges from Catholics to communists, back greater rights for homosexuals, including marriage.

Some in the centre left support a legal recognition similar to that in France, which in 1999 granted all couples the right to form civil unions.

Civil unions entitle them to joint social security, limited inheritance rights and other benefits.

Italy's Catholic Church opposes this, saying it will weaken traditional marriage and the traditional family.

Prodi, a practicing Catholic, was due to attend a papal mass at the Verona stadium later on Thursday.

In his address to the Catholic convention, the Pope was also applauded when he said the Church had to continue to defend "life in all its phases, from conception until natural death."

He said the Church did not want to be "a political agent" but wanted to help shape social policy.

The Pope backed the Italian Church's demands for more state funding for Catholic schools, saying that they were still subjected to "ancient prejudices," that were unjustifiable.

[MadIvan]

Viva Papa!

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Ping!

[Herakles]

When I see a gay priest who has molested children tied to a cross planted upside down and on fire in front of his church, I'll know that the church is practicing what it preaches. Until then, it's all words.

[HapaxLegamenon]

When I see a gay priest who has molested children tied to a cross planted upside down and on fire in front of his church, I'll know that the church is practicing what it preaches. Until then, it's all words.

I hope you don't, but someday you may see something like that in hell.

[little jeremiah]

Pingout tomorrow.

[CheyennePress]

Ahhh, yes. The concept of redemption...

Somehow I don't think you'd approve of the idea of the Inquisition, but that's exactly what you're going for here.

Sorry, I'm not a Catholic, but what you're calling for isn't at all what the church preaches. And nor are the actions of the hpriest you mention.

[GOP Poet]

Bookmark

[johniegrad]

When I see a gay priest who has molested children tied to a cross planted upside down and on fire in front of his church, I'll know that the church is practicing what it preaches. Until then, it's all words

I think they pray to statues too.

[longtermmemmory]

Colorado apparently has a referendum to legalize homosexual based marriage in the form of civil unions by calling it "domestic partnerships".

IOW exactly what the pope is citing.

However the MSM is not mentioning the efforts of the homsexual advocates.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

I think they pray to statues too.

Sounds like something an islamist might say!!

[jjm2111]

I think Johnie's tongue was firmly in his cheek.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Might be, but there are a number of anti-Catholic Christians who say or believe the same thing.

[Mr. Silverback]

I'm a Protestant, but...Viva Papa indeed!

[Mr. Silverback]

When I see a gay priest who has molested children tied to a cross planted upside down and on fire in front of his church, I'll know that the church is practicing what it preaches. Until then, it's all words.

Trasnlation: "Even though I'm a Freeper and should know better, I accept the drive by media portrayal of the Catholic Church as gospel truth. It's not smart, but it works for me."

[wagglebee]

Homosexual Agenda and Moral Absolutes Ping!

Freepmail wagglebee or little jeremiah to subscribe or unsubscribe from the homosexual agenda or moral absolutes ping lists.

FreeRepublic homosexual agenda keyword search
[ Add keyword homosexual agenda to flag FR articles to this ping list ]

FreeRepublic moral absolutes keyword search
[ Add keyword moral absolutes to flag FR articles to this ping list ]

[trisham]

Prodi, a practicing Catholic, was due to attend a papal mass

***********

I wonder what he's practicing?

[Just mythoughts]

This headline "Oppose 'deviant' love, Pope urges", is, let's just say strange at best. Love is NOT deviant!!!!

[12B]

I've actually been hoping for some deviant love. Not with males mind you, but a bit of deviant love sounds groovy to me.

[Patton@Bastogne]

.


Herakles and Mad Ivan,


When I see a gay priest who has molested children tied to a cross planted upside down and on fire in front of his church, I'll know that the church is practicing what it preaches. Until then, it's all words.


I'm a protestant Christian ... who's had the pleasure of knowing many wonderful Roman Catholics ...

Quite frankly, I can't imagine the Total Shame a (genuine) Roman Catholic must feel after a DECADES old parade of gay sex scandals exposed in their church ... while NO ONE in the Vactican really gives a Shiite.


Patton-at-Bastogne

"May God and His Angels Guard Your Sacred Throne, and May You Long Become It."

Shakespeare, Henry V, Act I, Scene II


.

[MadIvan]

I believe that falls under the "too much information" category.

Regards, Ivan