Bishop of Derry Most Rev Donal McKeown
THE CATHOLIC Bishop of Derry says weddings for couples who live together has become merely an excuse for a “great party”..
Bishop Donal McKeown made the comments at a Mass to mark the Derry Diocesan pilgrimage to Knock.
He was quoted in the Irish Times newspaper as saying during the service that there had been much discussion in recent times around the marriage equality referendum.
He asked why the State was involving itself in marriage at all.
It was, he suggested, because, of the “enormously important role it plays in both social stability and the formation of children”.
“Marriage has been legally recognised because it is a crucial private and public arrangement,” he said.
“When the vital role of marriage is downplayed society and especially children lose.”
He continued: “By comparison modern culture tends to suggest that “promiscuity is just part of growing up and that the use of pornography is fine”, the Bishop told the congregation.
“In that situation, for many the marriage ceremony marks not a key transition point in people’s lives but rather the time when they have been living together and gathered enough money for a great party.”
Bishop McKeown predicted next year’s World Meeting of Families will be a opportunity for Irish society to celebrate “relationships, faithfulness and heroism”.
