The Catholic Church in Mexico has
rejected accusations that it is homophobic for opposing gay marriage.
In an op-ed published in the weekly
Desde la Fe (From the Faith), the Archdiocese of Mexico
said it is “a myth and a fallacy to believe that anyone, because of
their personal status, is discriminated by the church, or excluded
from the requirements of the Christian way to achieve salvation. The
Church is not in the world to condemn, but to save.”
In the editorial Gays and the
Church, the church says it is “absurd” to believe that gay
men and lesbians don't have a place in the Catholic Church.
Catholic leaders, led by the Archbishop
of Guadalajara Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iniguez, have
harshly criticized Mexico City's gay marriage law and a Supreme
Court ruling upholding its constitutionality.
Sandoval Iniguez accused Mexico City
Mayor Marcelo Ebrard and his government of bribing the high court to
rule in favor of its gay marriage law and condemned the court for
betraying Mexico, the family and natural law. Ebrard
responded with a lawsuit.
“I do not know of any of you who
would like to be adopted by a pair of lesbians of a pair of fags,”
Sandoval Iniguez said during a press conference in Aguascalientes.
“I think not.”
While the church reconsidered the
language used over the past few weeks, it also reiterated its
opposition to gay marriage, saying such unions should not be called
marriage “because they lack any element to be considered as such.”