Sir,– The Catholic Church teaches that marriage is reserved to the lifelong union of a man and a woman that is open to new life. This doctrine is based on the complementarity of the sexes, as illustrated, though not exclusively constituted, by the different roles of each sex in procreation. Pope Francis in Amoris Laetitia affirms that same-sex unions are not comparable to heterosexual marriage, even analogously.
Angela Hanley (February 1st) seems to think it preposterous that the photographs in an episcopal document for the World Meeting of Families should be reflective of church beliefs. She further claims that church teaching is not valid unless it is received by her and those of the same view as her.
It is worth reflecting that an early example of a teaching not being received comes at the end of chapter six of John’s gospel, when the crowds reacted to Jesus’s teaching by walking away. Rather than water down his teaching, Jesus challenged the few who remained with him whether they too wanted to leave. The Catholic Church can do no better than to emulate her founder and head, and preach the truth, in season or out of season. – Yours, etc,
COLM FITZPATRICK,
Dublin 15.