A senior Catholic cardinal has
criticized gay marriage as undermining the institution of the family.
At a meeting of Italian bishops on
Monday, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco appeared to criticize a proposal to
allow gay and lesbian couples to enter civil partnerships in Italy.
“It is irresponsible to weaken the
family by creating new forms,” Bagnasco told bishops meeting in
Assisi in Umbria, according to The
Telegraph.
“It only confuses people and has the
effect of being a sort of Trojan horse, undermining culturally and
socially the core of humanity.”
Children “have a right to a mother
and a father,” he added, without an explanation as to how gay
unions hurt children.
(Related: Pope
Francis demotes cardinal opposed to gay rights.)
Bagnasco, the head of the Italian
Bishops Conference and archbishop of Genoa, made his remarks after
several mayors, including Rome
Mayor Ignazio Marino, began recognizing the foreign marriages of
gay couples and lawmakers introduced a proposal to legalize civil
partnerships in Italy.
(Related: Silvio
Berlusconi backs civil unions for gay couples.)