Catholics warned against vote for gay marriage

A leading Irish theologian has warned that Catholics should not vote for legalising civil unions between people of the same sex in the event of a referendum.

Fr Vincent Twomey, professor of moral theology at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, said: "When the state recognises civil unions between people of the same sex, it gives public recognition to private intimacies that by their very nature cannot produce children."

Writing in the February issue of the religious periodical, The Word, Fr Twomey said: "To ask a Catholic politician or citizen to vote for civil unions is to ask them to give public recognition to acts which the church has always taught are, objectively speaking, gravely sinful, since they constitute a misuse of our God-given sexuality."

Fr Twomey added: "One of the main reasons for giving civil recognition to such couples, on a par with marriage, is to grant them legal entitlements, such as inheritance rights.

"There is some justification to giving lasting friendships (whatever their nature) some legal entitlements similar to those of the next of kin.

"But these are rights that can be otherwise regulated by legal contracts. Redefining marriage is too high a price to pay," he said.

Last week the Taoiseach said a referendum to change the Constitution to legalise gay marriage would not be passed by voters.

But Mr Ahern said the Government was prepared to change legislation to ensure that gay couples could inherit property and pension rights from each other and qualify for tax entitlements enjoyed by married people.

Mr Ahern was speaking after the publication of details of a report by the Oireachtas All-Party Committee on the Constitution that advises against changing the definition of the family enshrined in the Constitution.

The Oireachtas Committee is understood to fear that such a move could spark a divisive referendum. The report recommends changes in the legislation to create civil partnerships for cohabiting and same-sex couples.

The report will be published in full tomorrow.