Palma: No to same sex marriage
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma reminded the people of the teachings of the church that marriage is only for two people of opposite sex.
Palma said that the existing doctrine and teachings of the Catholic Church does not allow same sex marriage.
“The teaching of the Church tells that this (same sex union) is not marriage because marriage, for the Catholic Church is between a man and a woman at a proper age,” Palma told reporters yesterday.
The prelate was reacting to President Rodrigo Duterte's recent pronouncement supporting same sex marriage. Duterte believes that people should not be barred from pursuing things that make them happy. In 2015, Duterte also disapproved of bullying and discriminating gay people in his TV guesting with Vice Ganda.
The 67-year-old prelate said the country's highest ranking official is “entitled to his own conviction.”
But the Catholic Church stands by its teachings that runs contrary to the idea of same sex marriage, said Palma.
“The president can declare that, it is his prerogative. In our part, dili mao kini,” he said.
He said people may call it with other term like partnership or union but not marriage.
“It doesn't mean that we don't respect people but we can't call it marriage. Dili man mao kini ang among pagtan-aw (subay) sa teachings sa simbahan,” he said.
Palma said imposing same sex marriage may have several implications in the long run. For one, children as they grow up may have a distorted perception about marital union.
Palma said adults should also look after the future of their children and the next generation since this idea may complicate the view of a composition of a family.
“We don't want to be judgmental that you only look everything in a negative sense but we know that there will be complications… The fact that it is not the natural way would mean complications and problems may arise,” he said.
Meanwhile, proChurch advocate Dr. Rene Bullecer was not really surprise of the pronouncement of the president supporting same sex union, knowing that the latter has been recognizing same sex couples.
“What I'm worried much is in terms of demography. Allowing same sex union will have a very big impact on our most healthy population growth,” he said.
He knew that majority of the countries that legalized same sex unions are those that “Christianity is either a super minority or if majority, most of the people are no longer practicing their faith.”
However, the situation is different in the Philippines since most of the population here is dominated by Roman Catholics.
“In short, we consider this act as a sin. I hope each one of us will do his or her share to preserve the tenets of Christianity especially we are nearing the 500 years of Christianity in the country by 2021,” he said.