Traditional Marriage Left Exposed
POPE FRANCIS SCIAF looks NEW SERIES: calls on ahead at Harry Schnitker world to be the challenges explores Evan- peacemakers of 2014 gelii Gaudium Pages 6-7 Pages 10-11 Page 20 No 5550 VISIT YOUR NATIONAL CATHOLIC NEWSPAPER ONLINE AT WWW.SCONEWS.CO.UK Friday January 3 2014 | £1 Persecution of Christians must Traditional marriage left exposed stop, says Pope I MSPs reject provisos to protect religious freedoms, clergy and celebrants in new legislation POPE Francis used the feast of St Stephen, the Church’s first mar- By Ian Dunn tyr, to tell the world that discrimi- nation against Christians ‘must be SCOTTISH politicians have further eliminated.’ The Pope was speak- undermined the future of traditional ing on Boxing Day before pray- marriage ahead of voters deciding, ing the Angelus from his window this year, whether Scotland will overlooking St Peter’s Square. become independent. “Today we pray in a particular Over the festive period, MSPs refused way for Christians who undergo dis- to amend the Scottish Government’s crimination because of their witness same-sex ‘marriage’ legislation to protect to Christ and the Gospel,” he said. religious freedom, clergy and celebrants. “We are close to these brothers and In addition, the Scottish Government has sisters who, like St Stephen, are confirmed that tax breaks for married unjustly accused and made targets of couples would be scrapped in an inde- violence of various kinds. I am sure pendent Scotland. that, unfortunately, there are more of them today than in the early days of Religious freedom fears the Church. There are so many.” On the Tuesday before Christmas, the The Pope said that Christians face Scottish Parliament’s Equal Opportuni- discrimination in every part of the ties Committee voted against proposed world.“This [persecution] happen changes to the Marriage and Civil Part- especially where religious liberty is nership (Scotland) Bill by SNP and not yet guaranteed and fully realised,” Labour members that were aimed at he said.
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