Catholic Bishops are preparing to make a submission on the marriage equality bill as they seek to keep marriage defined as being between one man and one woman. Expressing disappointment that the first reading passed last night, President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference Archbishop John Dew says: “The Catholic Church affirms love, fidelity and commitment in all relationships, but believes that marriage should be defined as being between a man and a woman.” He claims to propose any alternative definition will have implications in law, and in society, but also for education and the family structure which he says throughout history has been seen as the fundamental unit in every society. “Society doesn’t have the right to deprive a child of both its father and mother, both equally significant in their upbringing. We’re concerned about children growing up without one or both parents as part of the primary parenting partnership. We also understand that as humans we have a real need to get to know both of our biological parents,” he says. “While there are families which include single parents and same sex couples raising children there is a question to be asked about whether we want to legislate for a new norm for the family unit.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 30th August 2012 - 10:59am