Letter sent to the Prime Minister, Hon. Ms Sussan Ley MP and Hon. Mr Greg Aplin MP

Dear Prime Minister,

RE:  “Marriage Equality Amendment Bill 2013”

We have canvassed the views in the pews of our small parish of St Mary’s Catholic parish, Corowa.

The 95 per cent who signed the petition wish to see no amendment to the current Marriage Law of Australia.

We endorse wholeheartedly the stand you are taking against it and assure you of our continued support in this matter.

The aforesaid amendment bill is intrinsically flawed – failing to recognize that marriage is the union of opposites, or complementary persons. It fails to accept the intrinsic nature of marriage as it has been defined in Australian Law. It is an attempt to reject the Natural Law regarding spouses within human society.

The aforesaid amendment bill is intrinsically flawed – it fails to accept the uniqueness of the marriage institution within society and attempts to place it on the level of unions of persons other than ‘one man and one woman’. It is an attempt to nullify the powerful essential bond that is the foundation of all civilizations – marriage and family life.

The aforesaid amendment bill is intrinsically flawed – it fails to recognize the rights of children to know and be raised by their biological parents and thereby it is a direct denial of their rights. Many children – whatever the underlying cause – already suffer in single-parent situations at the loss of either the father-figure, or the mother. From the earliest days of childhood children ‘model’ their behaviour on their parents. In a same-sex marriage this entitlement to a key factor in their own psycho-sexual development is denied.

The aforesaid amendment bill is intrinsically flawed – it fails to address the future of families to provide citizens for the State. The State must therefore be involved to ensure the preservation of Marriage as ‘one man and one woman’ for the sake of future generations.

We the parishioners of St Mary’s Catholic parish, Corowa, ask you to continue to defend the Australian Marriage Law against all attempts to redefine or change its intrinsic structure of ‘one man and one woman’.

We respect all persons of homosexual inclination, but changing established law regarding a timeless institution that ensures the future of the human race, is not progress. Whatever label the State may wish to use to define the ‘union of same-sex persons’, it cannot use ‘marriage’, because such unions are outside the scope of the unions designated by the constituted Australian Marriage Law.

We also refuse to accept the statement by protagonists of the bill that 62% of all Australians are ‘in favour’ of the amendment bill. There is no hard evidence for this figure and even if true, ‘majorities’ do not make good law.

Yours respectfully,

Signed: (Rev. Fr B. P. Hart, PP Corowa)

(Encl: Signatures of parishioners supporting current Australian Marriage Law & rejecting proposed amendment bill.)

FOOTNOTE:  The amendment bill was defeated in the NSW PARLIAMENT on Thursday 14th November – 21 votes to 19. Sadly, only a narrow margin.

Parish Events Week 34: 24^th  – 30^th  Nov

Saturday 23rd

6.30pmVigil Mass (K Carroll; R Bennett; Marie Cleary)

Sunday 24 Nov  CHRIST THE KING

9.00am Mass (Pro populo – for all parishioners)

Monday 25^th   – Sat 30th (morning) No Masses this week

Wednesday 27^th 

11.00am Communion to homes & Karinya

Thursday 28^st  prayers from feast of ST ANDREW APOSTLE (usu 30th Nov)

11.30am Novena.

12.00 Communion Service w Readings

Friday 29^TH

Communion to Homes

Community Prayer Spot at Presbyterian Hall

Saturday 30th  

8.45amRosary – No Mass

6.30pmVigil Mass  (Sue Bradley; Colin Robinson; Ron Rippingale)

Sunday 01^ST Dec. FIRST SUN. OF ADVENT

9.00am Mass (Pro populo – for all parishioners)

Remember in Prayer

Recently deceased: Frances Hanrahan, Kathleen Keyes, Pauline Harris, Alma O’Brien,

Bishop Brennan, Alan Whitty, Dimpy Weston.

 

Roster 23^rd – 24^th Nov

Gifts:

6.30pm N Sandral & J Heagney

9.00am Svarc Family

Lectors

6.30pm M Schnelle & R Packer

9.00am P & B Ridge

Special Ministers:

6.30pm I & F Brooks

9.00am K Flower & K King

Altar  M. Fitzgibbon

Welcomers:

6.30pm A Pilgrim & P Kerr

9.00am  P Hanrahan

Altar Servers:

6.30pm W Seymour & H Langford

9.00am R Heagney & M Rogers

Collection: B O’Shea

Counters: R Packer & I Brooks

BALLDALE MAJELLAN GROUP

Next Meeting – Lunch at the Newmarket Hotel

12 Noon Wednesday 27^th Nov.

Contact: Nora Kingston – 6033 2026