Cardinal warns against 'marriage rights' for co-habiting couples
The Government will be making the same mistakes as Britain and the US if it brings in legislation to give co-habiting couples the same rights as married couples, Cardinal Sean Brady warned today.
In a trenchant defence of marriage, the Archbishop of Armagh said international surveys showed children born outside of marriage are more likely to be unemployed, use drugs or get involved in crime.
Dr Brady told the Ceifin Conference in Co Clare that the Government is undermining the will of God if it doesn’t protect the special status of marriage in the Constitution.
“Ireland looks set to repeat the mistakes of societies like Britain and the US by introducing legislation which will promote cohabitation, remove most incentives to marry and grant same-sex couples the same rights as marriage in all but adoption,” he said.
The Government published its Civil Partnership Bill last June and it is expected to become law during 2009. However many Fianna Fáil TDs are opposed to it.
Dr Brady said the legislation would dissolve the special status of marriage between a man and woman enshrined in the Constitution.
“If we have the good of children and of society at heart then it is also clear that we need to try and maximise the number of children being raised by a married mother and father,” he added.
Any change in the current laws would signal the greatest revolution in the history of the Irish family, the churchman told his audience.
“But will it be a revolution which promotes the common good of our society? Will it really help children and married couples or will it further erode marriage at a time when research and experience point to the value of marriage for children and society?”
He added: “The priority of the family over society and over the state has to be reaffirmed. The family does not exist for society or the state, but society and the state exist for the family.”
Dr Brady cited studies in Britain and the US that suggested that children born outside of marriage are more likely to suffer family breakdown, do worse at school, suffer poorer health and face problems of unemployment, drugs and crime.
Dr Brady also claimed that engaged couples will often spend more time with the florist, the photographer and the hotel manager rather than pre-marriage courses.
The Cardinal, who married many couples while working as a priest in Rome, said Italy’s pre-marriage training consists of nine weekend-long sessions.
Dr Brady was speaking on the theme of: ’The Family as the Foundation of Society’ at the 11th annual Ceifin Conference, which debates social issues.
Other speakers at the two-day event include management consultant Prof Charles Handy, family law expert Geoffrey Shannon, economist Jim Power and clinical psychologist Marie Murray.
Dr Brady added: “The prospect of a married couple establishing a happy, loving and stable family home in Ireland today has never been greater.
“Our challenge is to help women and men rediscover the joy of marriage, the life-long fulfilment it can offer, especially those who are reluctant to make a long-term commitment.”
