The Roman Catholic Church in Scotland on Sunday called on Catholics to fight the government’s plans to legalize gay marriage.

A letter by Scotland's Catholic bishops called on followers to reject efforts to “redefine” marriage.

“Marriage is a unique lifelong union of a man and a woman,” the letter states.

The Scottish government last month announced plans to become the first part of Britain to legalize gay nuptials. Under the plan, churches would not be required to host such ceremonies.

The letter, which was read in all 500 of the church's parishes, called on the Catholic faithful to pray for lawmakers to not adopt marriage equality “for the good of Scotland and of our society.”

Last week, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the country's leading Catholic, broke off direct talks with the Scottish government on the issue.

“The church's teaching on marriage is unequivocal, it is uniquely the union of a man and a woman and it is wrong that governments, politicians or parliaments should seek to alter or destroy that reality,” O'Brien said.

A majority of Scots (up to two-thirds, according to some polls) support marriage equality.