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Bishop Warns of "Sense That Something Sinister is Happening" to Religious Freedom in the United Kingdom
- By SCMO
- Published 9/03/2007
- News Releases
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In a Pastoral Letter read out at all Masses in the Diocese of Paisley on Sunday (18 February 2007) Bishop Philip Tartaglia called for action to protect “the religious freedom of the Catholic Church in the United Kingdom.”
As an indication of the depth of threat felt by the Church, and the extent to which the Sexual Orientation Regulations compromise religious freedom, Bishop Tartaglia said “this unfortunate episode may well herald the beginning of a new and uncertain time for the Catholic Church in the United Kingdom.”
The Bishop of Paisley continued, saying that the “regulations which force the Catholic Church and individual Catholics to act against their religious convictions to implement this policy offend against religious freedom and against freedom of conscience.”
The Pastoral Letter encouraged Catholics to “defend ourselves by all legitimate democratic means” and to enact their right and duty “to make their concerns known to their elected representatives.”
Bishop Philip called for people to be “attentive to the wider issues” and warned that for the first time in the modern era “in this country the Catholic Church is facing the prospect of being forced to act against her faith and against her convictions.”
He sounded the warning that “we cannot but sense that something sinister is happening.”
ENDS
Simon Dames
Bishops’ Conference of Scotland
Scottish Catholic Media Office
5 St. Vincent Place
Glasgow G1 2DH
Tel: 0141 221 1168
Mob: 07814759258
sd@scmo.org
mail@scmo.org
www.scmo.org
The full text of Bishop Tartaglia's address is shown below
As an indication of the depth of threat felt by the Church, and the extent to which the Sexual Orientation Regulations compromise religious freedom, Bishop Tartaglia said “this unfortunate episode may well herald the beginning of a new and uncertain time for the Catholic Church in the United Kingdom.”
The Bishop of Paisley continued, saying that the “regulations which force the Catholic Church and individual Catholics to act against their religious convictions to implement this policy offend against religious freedom and against freedom of conscience.”
The Pastoral Letter encouraged Catholics to “defend ourselves by all legitimate democratic means” and to enact their right and duty “to make their concerns known to their elected representatives.”
Bishop Philip called for people to be “attentive to the wider issues” and warned that for the first time in the modern era “in this country the Catholic Church is facing the prospect of being forced to act against her faith and against her convictions.”
He sounded the warning that “we cannot but sense that something sinister is happening.”
ENDS
Simon Dames
Bishops’ Conference of Scotland
Scottish Catholic Media Office
5 St. Vincent Place
Glasgow G1 2DH
Tel: 0141 221 1168
Mob: 07814759258
sd@scmo.org
mail@scmo.org
www.scmo.org
The full text of Bishop Tartaglia's address is shown below