Catholic bishops endorse nationwide demos against homosexuality
Catholic bishops in the country, working with leaders of other faith groups will, on Thursday newxt week, hold nationwide demonstrations against the promotion of homosexuality.
In a letter from Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), dated July 6 2023, signed by its secretary general the Reverend Father Alfred Chaima addressed to all priests and pastoral secretaries, among others, the bishops are urging all Christians to defend the family by participating in the demonstrations.
The ECM said it is solidly convinced that, amidst the misleading discussion and debates going on in various forums, it must make its stand clear and was, therefore, working with leaders of other mother bodies and faith groups and people of goodwill to hold peaceful marches in all regions.
“It is expected that at the end of that peaceful march, a petition shall be presented to relevant authorities. At diocese level, we ask pastoral secretaries, parish priests and CCJP [Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace] officers to play a very active role—in close collaboration with the ECM secretariat and with leaders of other faith groups—in preparing for the march.”
The bishops said they have said it many times that there was a need to do much more in supporting and animating families in the society; especially today when they face so many problems.
“Unfortunately, these problems are largely imposed in Africa, Asia and Latin America by foreign societies; taking advantage of abject poverty in our countries as well as high illiteracy levels in the same continents.”
The bishops, who concluded their second plenary in Lilongwe last Friday, are urging leaders in their parishes to mobilise the lay faithful to join the peaceful demonstrations.
The peaceful marches will be happening while the High Court of Malawi, sitting as the Constitutional Court, is still hearing a petition to legalise same-sex relations.
Plans to hold the demonstrations against same-sex relations were first unveiled by the Archdiocese of Lilongwe.
Meanwhile, apart from ECM, the Malawi Council of Churches, Muslim Association of Malawi and the Evangelical Association of Malawi have also joined the case in the High Court as friends of the court where same-sex relationships’ advocates want an interpretation of Section 153 (c) of the Penal Code.
The court matter follows a constitutional referral of 2021 involving a Dutch national Jan Willem Akstar and a transgender woman Jana Gonani who are challenging the constitutionality of banning same-sex marriages in the country.
Akstar and Gonani moved the Constitutional Court to declare the two pieces of legislation on same-sex relationships unconstitutional, arguing that they violate their right to privacy, dignity, among others.
