Respect is not confusion

Since December 2012 the works of the Convention on the Constitution, established by the Upper and Lower Chambers of Ireland, are in progress. The Convention is "a new venture in participative democracy", is explained on the website, in which 100 people, (66 citizens; 33 parliamentarians, and an independent president, Tom Arnold) are tasked with addressed 8 major themes that imply changes to the Constitution (reduction of the voting age to 17, reform of the electoral system, role of women, homosexual marriage…). The members of the Convention gather in public sitting (broadcast in streaming) on Saturdays each month to discuss and vote. Each citizens can give its contribution through the "Convention" website.Vote in favour. 79% of the members of the Irish Convention on the Constitution agree that "constitution be changed to allow for civil marriage for same-sex couples" and that "the State shall enact laws incorporating changed arrangements in regard to the parentage, guardianship and the upbringing of children", states the press release issued at the end of the meeting held past April 13-14. The Government has to respond to the Convention’s recommendations within four months and where it agrees with a particular recommendation to amend the Constitution, to include a timeframe for a referendum. It’s crucial to talk about it. "While the result of the constitutional convention is disappointing, only the people of Ireland can amend the constitution". "The Catholic church will continue to promote and seek protection for the uniqueness of marriage between a woman and a man, the nature of which best serves children and our society", said a spokesman for the press office of the Bishops’ Conference, commenting on the Convention’s vote in favour of homosexual marriage. The Bishops’ Conference submitted an articulated document to the Convention, along with over one thousand contributions transmitted through the website on the Convention, regarding same-sex marriage. The bishops ask that "sufficient time be given for a society-wide discussion of the fundamental importance of the family based on marriage" prior to the adoption of changes regarding the institution of marriage, and "to evaluate not only the ethical and legal probity of any change to the existing Constitutional definition of marriage but also the potential impact it will have on the relationship between the family and the State, notably in relation to the rights of children". "The argument for a change to the definition of marriage is sometimes based on the perception that marriage is essentially a matter of love and commitment between two people" regardless whether they belong to the opposite or the same sex", states the declaration. Moreover, "marriage is about a great deal more than simply love and commitment, whether within a legal framework or without it". "Specific legal recognition of marriage by the State recognise is for the benefit of children and affirms the essential link between marriage, the family and the welfare of the State itself". Attention and respect for everyone. During the debate held April 13-14, in the framework of the Convention and before the vote, completely different opinions were acknowledged (gay and lesbian networks, Evangelical Church, Amnesty Ireland, Iona institute for the family.) Bishop Leo O’Reilly, president of the Bishops’ Conference for the marriage and the family and Breda McDonald, member of the same council, were among the guest speakers. They both underlined: "family based on marriage is the single most important institution in any society and to change the nature of marriage would be to undermine it as the fundamental building block of our society". "We can experience human love in many different ways. As Christians our primary commandment is to love. Love always demands that we respect the dignity of every human person. That is why the Catholic Church insists that people who are homosexual must always be treated with sensitivity, compassion and respect", said Bishop O’Reilly. He concluded: "perhaps we can agree that all of us are committed to a society in which every person is treated with dignity and respect, where no person is subjected to violence or unjust discrimination, and where sincere difference of opinion is accommodated with mutual respect and a concern for the protection of basic rights and freedoms". Breda McDonald emphasized the difference between man and woman, thus the fact that only the union of a woman and a man can give rise to a child make it impossible to talk of ‘equality’ between heterosexual marriage and same-sex marriage".