Vatican rejects law defending homosexuals in Italy

In an act unprecedented in the history of relations between Italy and the Holy See, who signed a Concordat in 1929, the Vatican demanded through diplomatic channels the reform of law against homophobia discussed by the Parliament of Rome.

It is an action which can lead to serious political conflicts because right-wing parties oppose the bill presented by the deputy of the center-left democratic party Alessandro Zan, already approved by this Chamber by 265 votes for and 193 against.

The project has since been in the Senate, where it was ignited a very tense debate by the enraged opposition of the right-wing parties.

the Corriere della Sera, the main Italian newspaper, on Tuesday published all the details of the conflict raised by the Vatican in Italy.

El “ministro” de Relaciones Exteriores del Papa Francisco, monseñor Paul Richard Gallagher, británico, presentó el jueves pasado in the embajada de la Santa Sede ante Italia una “nota verbal” in the que el Vaticano pide formally al gobierno de Roma that modifies el law Project.

Unpublished decision

The Vatican had never intervened while a future Italian law is under discussion in Parliament.

The text affirms that “certain current contents of the bill which the Senate examines reduce the freedom guaranteed to the Church”, included in article two of the agreement to revise the Concordat.

These paragraphs refer to “the freedom of organization of the public, the exercise of worship, the exercise of teaching and the episcopal ministry”.

It also gives guarantees “to Catholics and their associations and organizations for the freedom of assembly and expression of thought”.

Against attacks on homosexuals and trans people

Bill Zan it persecutes assaults and all kinds of attacks against homosexuals and transsexuals.

The Vatican’s claim is aimed above all at private Catholic schools, which would not be exempt from organizing activities on the future National Day against Homophobia.

He also manifests fear that the law will attack the freedom of thought of Catholics even with possible legal consequences.

Already twice last year, the Italian Bishops’ Conference of more than three hundred members opposed the Zan bill.

Assaults against homosexuals and transgendered people, including murder as well as severe beatings, are practically every day in Italy.

The Church maintains that “a law which seeks to combat discrimination cannot and must not pursue this objective with intolerance”.

The bill supported by the center-left parties extends the crimes individualized in the Penal Code, which punish so-called equality crimes and they offer specific protection to the categories of people who are victims of hate attacks against who they are and not against what they do.

The initiative is in addition to the offenses already mentioned in the penal code of discrimination on grounds “based on sex, gender and sexual orientation”.

Another point that is the subject of Vatican critic refers to gender identity, defined in article 1 of the Zan project with “the perceived and manifested identification of oneself, in relation to gender even if it does not correspond to gender”.

In other words, a transgender person, although they have not yet obtained the gender change in the documents, may be subject to discrimination and violence as such.

Right-wing parties argue that a reference to biological sex is sufficient for gender identity.

Assaults for sexual hatred

A bill by right-wing leader Matteo Salvini provides for punishment for homophobic aggravation, but does not include cases of transphobia, which have become common in sexual hate attacks.

The Salvini project is accused of offering no protection to transsexuals.

Democratic Party leader Enrico Letta, a Catholic, said: “We respect Zan law and are naturally available for dialogue. Letta stressed that it is “a law of civilization”.

The author of the project, Congressman Alessandro Zan, stressed that “in the Chamber of Deputies we have always listened carefully to all concerns. The text in no way limits freedom of expression or religious freedom. And it respects the autonomy of all schools ”.

For his part, right-wing leader Salvini said the judgment and revision of the Zan law had his approval.

But he agreed with the dialogue of all sectors. “We must not nullify freedom of opinion, but also protect it from aggression and discrimination,” he concluded.

Vatican, correspondent

CB