A DIRECTIVE by Italian bishops ordering Catholic politicians to vote against gay rights legislation has caused a political uproar and prompted fresh charges of Church interference in domestic affairs.The long-awaited note, issued yesterday by the Italian Bishops Conference, was significant because it specifically targeted politicians as they consider a law to give homosexual and heterosexual unmarried couples more rights.
While not specifying any punishment by the Church, it says Catholics could not hide behind "the principle of pluralism" or compromise on what it called the ethical needs of society.
The note said Catholic politicians had "the moral duty to clearly and publicly voice their disagreement and vote against any proposed law that would recognise homosexual couples".
While some Catholic and centrist politicians welcomed the directive as food for thought, other lawmakers and civil rights groups condemned it as outright interference.
"This continuous, daily interference by the Church in Parliament's activity is intolerable," said leftist senator Luisa Boccia.
"What's next, excommunication?"
Italians and their government are deeply split over gay rights.
Prime Minister Romano Prodi's centre-left coalition has tabled a bill in Parliament that guarantees rights to unmarried couples in such areas as inheritance and health care. But some opponents fear it is a "Trojan horse" to eventually allow gay marriage in Italy.
Two weeks ago, Pope Benedict said the Church's opposition to gay marriage was "non-negotiable" and that Catholic politicians had a duty to oppose it.
Mr Prodi, a practising Catholic, has said the draft law should not be seen as a threat to the traditional family.
But some of his ministers have vowed to fight it in Parliament and some are expected to attend a big demonstration planned for May 12 in defence of the traditional family.
Commentators said the strongly worded note and the equally passionate reaction has raised a simmering conflict between the Church and the state to a new, harsher level.
"Catholics have been warned," headlined the conservative Rome daily newspaper Il Tempo.
Franco Grillini, an openly gay parliamentarian in Mr Prodi's coalition, called the bishops' note "ecclesial homophobia".
Another leftist politician, Pino Sgobio, said the Vatican had to realise that unmarried couples are a fact of life and Parliament had a duty to pass laws to protect the rights of people who have decided not to marry.
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