Our Bishops, led by the Archbishop of Westminster...

... have  issued a strong message on marriage, sent to every Catholic Church in England and Wales for this Sunday.  It is a timely and inspiring call to be witnesses to the truth, noting that following the enactment of the new law on same-sex unions, Catholics may now feel "strangers in their own land".  The Church can never accept the validity of same-sex marriage.

"We try to present and live by Catholic teaching as given by God for the ultimate good for each person. This may indeed lead us to feel, in these matters, out of step with popular culture. But that is our calling and not a matter for discouragement. Rather, with the confidence of faith, we stay resolute, encouraging one another and all who recognize the values we wish to uphold."