By Anthony Barich
ARCHBISHOP Barry Hickey has asked for “the ready cooperation” of all Archdiocesan priests and deacons when the Australian Family Association approaches them to promote a petition in parishes urging MPs to protect marriage.
Archbishop Hickey has mobilised the Australian Family Association to manage the distribution and collection of the petitions, the wording of which was approved by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference in November.
‘’As this is a most important matter for the Church and for Christian marriage, I ask for your ready cooperation when approached,” Archbishop Hickey said as quoted in a letter dated 13 January that his Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton sent all Archdiocesan priests accompanying the petition.
Bishop Sproxton said in the letter that, “as Catholics, we believe marriage to be the foundation of society and so worthy of every support and help. We also believe that Christian marriage is a Sacrament and a means of Grace and Blessing between husband and wife for life”.
“Let us embrace this opportunity to witness to the basic institution of our society, perhaps enlisting the help and support of our permanent Deacons and their wives.
“May Jesus, Mary and Joseph pray for the success of the defence of traditional marriage between a man and a woman for life.”
The Australian Family Association will also arm priests with two documents to help them discuss the issue in their parishes and to distribute: Marriage: Myths and Realities and What marriage is: Some discussion points for meeting with MPs.
These two documents were both published in the 15 December edition of The Record.
Western Australia’s three regional dioceses have also joined Archbishop Barry Hickey and the nation-wide mobilisation of Catholics to urge federal legislators to defend marriage.
The Bishops of Broome, Bunbury and Geraldton have distributed the petition, which Archbishop Hickey co-wrote.
Bunbury Bishop Gerard Holohan personally emailed the petition to all priests in his diocese while Broome Vicar General Monsignor Paul Boyers said he would be promoting the petition in his parish of Derby.
Broome Bishop Christopher Saunders told The Record that the petition has been mentioned in homilies around his diocese.
The petition that the Bishops approved reads: “As a parishioner of (parish name and location) within your electorate, please consider my position on the meaning of marriage. Given the variety of domestic arrangements available in Australia, I request that you protect the unique institution of marriage as traditionally understood and actually lived as the complementary love between a man and a woman.”
Australia’s Bishops have been criticised by lobby group Australian Marriage Equality since urging all priests to encourage Catholics to sign a petition urging MPs to resist The Greens’ push to legalise same-sex marriage.
The petition was in response to a motion presented by newly elected Greens Member for Melbourne Adam Brandt that urged MPs in the House of Representatives to “gauge their constituents’ views on ways to achieve equal treatment for same-sex couples including marriage”.
“This will be an opportunity for all Catholics to make a personal contribution to the fight to preserve the unique nature of marriage,” Archbishop Hickey told The Record.
“We have used language which clearly enunciates where we are coming from.
“The wording is very important, and we want the petitions to be activated in every parish, so that parishioners will be able to take up what was recommended by parliamentarians, to contribute to discussion about this.”