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Primate underlines opposition to gay marriage

THE Catholic primate of Ireland has re-iterated the Church's opposition to same sex marriage and expressed concern about the implications of a Yes vote in the Republic's May 22 referendum.

Archbishop Eamon Martin said interfering with the definition of marriage was not "a simple or a trivial matter".

In a statement on Saturday, Dr Martin said Church and state had always recognised marriage to be of fundamental importance for children, mothers and fathers, and society.

"The teaching of the Catholic Church on the issue of same-sex unions was reiterated at the Extraordinary Synod on the Family in Rome, 2014: 'There are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God’s plan for marriage and family,'" he said.

However, he said the Church emphasised how gay people should always to be treated with respect and sensitivity.

Dr Martin highlighted how a situation had arisen where people who "stood up to guard the dignity of difference between a man and woman" and spoke up for the "traditional definition of marriage" were often portrayed as being against freedom and equality.

The primate said marriage was unique from other types of relationship because of the "distinctiveness of the union between a man and a woman which is open to life".

"We end up using the term 'marriage' for something that it is not," he said.

He urged people to reflect and pray carefully before casting their vote on May 22 and "not to be afraid to speak up for the union of a man and a woman in marriage".