The Roman Catholic Church in France's “Prayer for France” criticizes the government's plan to legalize gay marriage.

The prayer will be read in Catholic churches across the country on August 15 to mark the feast of the Assumption.

Socialists won control of both houses of Parliament in June, just weeks after President Francois Hollande was elected to lead the nation. The Hollande administration has since reiterated that it is committed to implementing Hollande's campaign pledge to legalize gay nuptials and open up adoption to gay couples.

Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois' prayer asks churchgoers to pray for “newly elected officials” to put their “sense of common good over pressure to meet special demands.” It also asks that “children cease to be objects of the desires and conflicts of adults and fully benefit from the love of a father and a mother.”

The prayer's text has been criticized by gay rights supporters.

“He is implying that [it] is dangerous for a child to be brought up by same-sex parents,” Nicolas Gougain of the gay rights group Inter LGBT told FRANCE 24. “The text of the prayer is homophobic. The church's definition of family is far from the reality of the diverse families we see today – same-sex, mixed or single parents.”

“Francois Hollande is committed to these reforms and they have been reaffirmed by his government. We can count on getting a majority of parliament and no prayer will be able to block this necessary legislation. Religion has no place in politics,” he added.