ROMAN CATHOLIC Bishops from the Caribbean yesterday came out strongly against the proposal made by the joint select committee on the Charter of Rights Bill, for government to consider decriminalising homosexual sex in private between two consenting adults.
In a statement issued by Roman Catholic Priest Monsignor Richard Albert on behalf of priests, including Archbishop of Kingston Edgerton Clarke and others from the region, the Catholics pledged to "proclaim the truth no matter how strongly political pressure, public opinion or public moral oppose it".
"There is an obvious consistency in the Old and New Testament salvation history about the moral unacceptability of homosexual relations," the Bishops said. "Since homosexual relations cannot reflect the complementarity of the sexes intended by God and openness to the transmission of life, they are contrary to the creative designs of God".
In last week's report, the committee, which was chaired by Attorney-General A. J. Nicholson, recommended decriminalising private homosexual acts but denied requests from lobbyists to include a guarantee in the Constitution that would protect homosexuals from discrimination.
"It (the committee) would, however, bring to the attention of the Government as a matter for consideration, the issue of the repeal of the Offences Against the Persons Act in so far as it relates to the offence of buggery between consenting adults in private," said the report which was tabled in Parliament last Tuesday.
Earlier this year the lobby group, Jamaican Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (JFLAG) made a presentation to the committee arguing that the Constitution should have provisions to protect persons against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. According to the group, a person's sexual orientation was out of his or her control and therefore should not form the basis for discrimination.
"A person who engages in homosexual behaviour acts immorally," the Bishops said, however "under no circumstance can they be approved".
It added that while the church is obligated to preach the truth, it is also obligated to provide quality pastoral care to persons who have a homosexual orientation or person who may be struggling with homosexual behaviour. They say that they encourage prayer, a full sacramental life, offer spiritual direction, counselling and support to homosexual persons and condemns discrimination against such.
