Scottish Catholic Observer

Pope Benedict XVI condemned same-sex ‘marriage’ today in a speech to American bishops after the US state of Maryland last week became the eighth in that nation to redefine marriage.

“Sexual differences cannot be dismissed as irrelevant to the definition of marriage,” the Holy Father said, warning against ‘the powerful political and cultural currents seeking to alter the legal definition of marriage.’

The Pope added that ‘marriage and the family are institutions’ that must be ‘promoted and defended from every possible misrepresentation of their true nature.’ He also said bishops could not overlook ‘the serious pastoral problem presented by the widespread practice of cohabitation.’

“The contemporary crisis of marriage and the family, has led to grave societal problems bearing an immense human and economic cost,” he said, adding that ignorance of, or challenges to, Church teaching on marriage and sexuality were part of the ‘intellectual and ethical challenges’ to evangelisation today.

The Pope told the visiting bishops from Minnesota (above), North Dakota and South Dakota that they set an excellent example with their pastoral work.

“I appreciate all that your parishes, schools and charitable agencies do daily to support families and to reach out to those in difficult marital situations,” he said. “Especially the divorced, single parents, teenage mothers and women considering abortion.”