MELBOURNE (CathNews) — The Archbishop of Melbourne, Denis Hart, and five other bishops will send out 80,000 letters this weekend asking parishioners to take a stand against proposed new laws and influence politicians’ vote on homosexual “marriage”, reports the Herald Sun.
Sale Bishop Christopher Prowse, one of the signatories to the letter, said the Church’s directive was about highlighting the “true meaning of marriage”.
“At this stage [the debate] is about same-sex marriage, but next it might be polygamy,” Bishop Prowse said.
The bishops argue the foundation of marriage is the sexual difference between men and women and the “potential for new life”.
“Without this there would be no human beings, and no future,” the letter says. “Bringing new human life into the world is founded on the loving union in difference of male and female. Children are best nurtured by a mother and father.”
Labor’s Stephen Jones and Greens MP Adam Bandt have put forward amendments to the Marriage Act.
An inquiry into the Bill allows Australians to answer questions online, including on whether they agree that same-sex “marriage” should be legalised.
About 54 per cent of 65,000 Australians who have completed the online survey supported the change.
The bishops are asking their parishioners to vote in that online survey.