Discouragement risk

Over the past days France’s National Assembly has been engaged in the debate for the adoption of the so-called "marriage pour tous" bill. The draft law legalizes the possibility of gay couples to marry and adopt children but doesn’t mention medically assisted procreation (MAP), which is the object of a legislative proposal up for discussion at the end of the year, after the decision of the National Ethics Committee (Comité consultatif national d’éthique). Sarah Numico interviewed for SIR Europe Jérôme Vignon, president of the Social Weeks of France.Could you comment on the ongoing national Assembly discussions on all the articles of the bill strongly opposed – albeit non only – by Catholics? "In the first sitting the national Assembly adopted the overall framework of the bill, including problematic aspects such as the question of parenthood, i.e. the granting of full adoption rights to same sex couples. It’s almost certain that owing to the balance of power within the national Assembly the whole project will be adopted in the first sitting, in line with the government’s guidelines that provide for such disruptive parenthood proposal. From January 10 the project will be discussed at the Senate, where it will undergo amendments, owing to a composite majority in the Senate. Intense debates have marked the works of the Assembly, which highlighted frictions in the opposition, along with the determination of the Minister of Justice, Christiane Taubira, who confirmed the will to ‘strip the child from his natural determinisms’". What are the reactions of the public opinion? "The public opinion appears uninterested in the debate. People focus on their concerns for surging unemployment rates, while opposing stances are not fully understood. However, after January 13 those who support marriage registered a slight increase, from 60% to 63%. The number of those in support of adoption also increased (from 46 to 49%)".What was the impact of the January 13 march in Paris? "January’s demonstrators felt they were able to express a conscience movement. But their mood is low, as they understand that the political balance of power hasn’t changed. Their sadness and disappointment are overwhelming, as it was for the pilgrims of Emmaus. Their movement could be divided between the ‘ultras’, namely, those who are content with conveying their refusal, and the ‘moderates’, including myself, who seek a compromise solution in order to reach an improved balance of powers".How are Catholics addressing the situation now?"There are three groups: the first simply rejects the idea of recognizing the love between same sex couples; a second group, the majority, has pledged to follow the path of such recognition but it opposes the upsetting proposal of parenthood (it is the stand of the ‘Family and Society’ Council). The third, a minority, are in favor of the law, motivated by what they describe as the need to open up to societal changes. The future will depend on the quality of the dialogue between these three positions. Also the Social Weeks of France are involved in the dialogue".