THE Roman Catholic Bishop of Paisley has been blasted by students over his stance on gay marriage.
The Rt Rev Philip Tartaglia recently told the Scottish Government that his church was firmly opposed to the possibility of same-sex couples being allowed to marry in church.
He said that a “government which favours and allows for same-sex marriage does wrong”, claiming any such move would be an “an act of cultural vandalism”.
The bishop said it was fundamental that children are born into a family with a mother and father.
Now the Paisley branch of the LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender) Society at the University of the West of Scotland has condemned the bishop’s stance.
And they claimed the hierarchy of the Catholic Church is using the issues of gay marriage and the “guise of free speech” to begin an outdated argument.
The students claim that, under the government’s ongoing consultation on gay marriage in churches, no priest in his church would be forced to conduct a same sex ceremony.
Scott Winchester, president of the Paisley LGBT Society, said: “I hope that people living in or viewing Paisley from the outside – who have nowhere to turn and no-one to talk to about their sexuality – understand that these are not the words of the kind, generous, accepting and open-minded people of this area.
“They are the words of one man with a political axe to grind.”
Mr Winchester said the LGBT Society agreed with the bishop’s comments that protecting children is an important thing to focus on.
“We have members who currently serve on the Children’s Panel and will be focussing attention throughout the year on the quarter of Scottish children who live in poverty,” he said.
“What is important for young people in Scotland is to be loved and supported in a happy home, not the make-up of their family. We believe equal marriage is part of the solution and not part of the problem.”
Jack Douglas, a social science student at UWS, added: “The biggest threat to the sanctity of marriage is divorce. Perhaps the bishop should focus his energy on that instead of attempting to stall Scotland’s progress with equality.”
The Scottish Government has repeatedly stated that it is currently conducting a consultation on possible gay marriage, and that no decision on the matter has yet been made.
Bishop Philip refused to comment.