Monday, October 31, 2011

Bishop attends gay marriage talks

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has discussed proposals to legalise same-sex marriage with a Catholic bishop.

Ms Sturgeon met Bishop of Paisley Philip Tartaglia in Edinburgh to talk about the Scottish Government's consultation on allowing same-sex couples to marry.

The Government launched its 14-week consultation on the subject last month, asking if marriage in Scotland should be allowed for gay people through a civil or religious ceremony. 

Currently same-sex couples can enter a civil partnership which carries full legal rights but the ceremony cannot be conducted in a church or other religious premises.

Ministers said the proposals would ensure religious organisations do not have to register same-sex marriages against their will, but the idea was met with outcry from the Catholic Church.

Bishop Tartaglia has already sent a strongly-worded submission to the Scottish Government. 

He said that governments "do not have the authority to say what marriage is or to change its nature or to decree that people of the same sex can marry".

He also put his concerns to First Minister Alex Salmond during a recent meeting.

Speaking after the meeting, Ms Sturgeon said: "When I launched the consultation on same-sex marriage, I made clear that in addition to carefully considering the written responses, we intended to meet a wide range of organisations, including churches and faith groups.

"I also made clear that while ministers tend towards the initial view that same-sex marriage should be introduced, faith groups and their celebrants should not be obliged to solemnise same-sex marriage.

"We also gave an assurance that all views will be listened to, no final views have been reached and no decisions have been taken. I therefore welcome today's meeting with the Catholic Church which gave me an opportunity to hear the church's views and concerns about the consultation, while also enabling me to repeat such assurances."

Ms Sturgeon thanked the church for raising awareness of the consultation, and said her "door would be open" for further discussions.