Archbishop Bergoglio clearly against same-sex marriage in 2010

 Prot. No. 529/10

Buenos Aires, July 5, 2010

To Dr. JUSTO CARBAJALES

Director of the Department of the Laity

Argentine Episcopal Conference

Suipacha 1032

1008 - BUENOS AIRES

Dear Justo:

The Episcopal Commission of the Laity of the CEA, as citizens, had the initiative to make a demonstration before the possible sanction of the law of marriage for people of the same sex, reaffirming - at the same time - the need for children to have the right to have a father and a mother for their upbringing and education. By means of these lines I wish to offer my support to this expression of responsibility of the laity.

I know, because you have expressed it to me, that it will not be an act against anyone, since we do not want to judge those who think and feel differently. However, more than ever, in the face of the bicentenary and with the certainty of building a Nation that includes the plurality and diversity of its citizens, we clearly maintain that what is diverse cannot be equated; in a social coexistence, it is necessary to social coexistence, it is necessary to accept differences.

This is not a question of mere terminology or formal conventions of a private relationship, but a bond of an anthropological nature. The essence of the human being tends to the union of man and woman as reciprocal fulfillment, attention and care, and as the natural path to procreation. This confers to marriage social transcendence and public character. Marriage precedes the State, is the basis of the family, the cell of society, prior to all legislation and prior to the Church itself. Hence, the approval of the bill in the making would mean a real and serious anthropological step backwards.

Marriage (consisting of a man and a woman) is not the same as the union of two people of the same sex. is not the same as the union of two persons of the same sex. To distinguish is not to discriminate but to to differentiate in order to discern is to value with propriety, not to discriminate. At a time when we emphasize the richness of pluralism and cultural and social diversity, it is a contradiction cultural and social diversity, it is a contradiction to minimize fundamental human differences. differences. A father is not the same as a mother. We cannot teach future generations that it is the same to be prepared to develop a family project by assuming the a stable relationship between a man and a woman than to live with a person of the same sex. than living with a person of the same sex. 

Let us be careful that, in trying to put before and take care of an the right of adults, we should neglect the priority right of children (who should be the only privileged children (who should be the only privileged ones) to have models of father and mother, to have a father and a mother. mother, to have a mummy and a daddy

I charge you that, on your part, both in your language and in your hearts, there is no sign of in your hearts, there is no sign of aggression or violence towards any sibling.  We Christians act as servants of a truth and not as its owners. I pray that the Lord, with his gentleness, the gentleness that he asks of all of us, may meekness that he asks of all of us, accompany them in the act.  I ask you, please, to pray and have me prayed for. May Jesus bless you bless you and may the Holy Virgin watch over you.

Fraternally

Card. Jorge Mario Bergoglio s.j.

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