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Gay Marriage Religious

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Gay marriage: Catholic Church tells priests 'time to act is now'
The Roman Catholic Church has launched a final push against the Government’s plans for gay marriage with just 10 days before MPs vote on the issue.

The Roman Catholic Church has launched a final push against the Government’s plans for gay marriage Photo: ALAMY

By John Bingham, Religious Affairs Editor
3:30PM GMT 27 Jan 2013
3047 Comments
The Archbishop of Southwark, the Most Rev Peter Smith, spoke of a desire to “mobilise” opposition in the Church.
He urged them to capitalize on the decision by all three main party leaders to allow free votes on the matter and increase pressure on their local MPs to halt such a “fundamental change in the law”.
A million postcards, designed for Catholics to complete and send to their MP asking them to vote against the Government’s plan, were distributed at masses over the weekend.
The issue to due to come up for a vote in the Commons as early as February 5.
It would open the way for the first same-sex weddings to take place as early as the beginning of next year.
Related Articles * Gay marriage bill 'opens door to abolition of adultery'
26 Jan 2013 * Catholic church warns 'non-chaste' school heads could be sacked
26 Jan 2013 * Government 'powerless to protect teachers from sack over gay marriage'
25 Jan 2013 * Alice Arnold: ex BBC newsreader attacks 'horrible' anti-gay marriage MPs
21 Jan 2013
In a letter on behalf of bishops, Archbishop Smith, the second most senior active Catholic cleric in England and Wales, told priests: “The time to act is now.”
Welcoming the planned free vote, he wrote: “It is therefore particularly important at this time for all MPs to be made aware of the strength of feeling on this issue among their own constituents, and the Bishops have received requests from a number of laity about mobilising further

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