Vatican City, Jun 22, 2021 / 04:35 am
The Vatican has intervened with the Italian state in a proposed “anti-homophobia” law, saying that the legislation as written violates freedoms of the Catholic Church in Italy.
According to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states, gave a formal diplomatic note to the Italian embassy to the Holy See on June 17, expressing concern about the text under debate.
Local media have called the Vatican’s action “unprecedented” in the history of the relationship between the two states.
The “anti-homophobia” bill, known by the name “Ddl Zan,” is being examined by the justice commission of the Italian Senate, after the text received initial approval from the House last November.
The bill seeks to prevent and oppose “discrimination and violence for reasons based on sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability.”
Corriere della Sera reported that the Vatican note said that parts of the legislation reduce the freedom guaranteed to the Catholic Church by Article 2, paragraphs 1 and 3 of the Agreement for the revision of the Pact.
In 1984, Italy and the Holy See signed an agreement amending the Lateran Pacts of 1929. The agreement guarantees that the Italian Republic recognizes “the full freedom of the Catholic Church to carry out its pastoral, educational and charitable mission, of evangelization and sanctification.”
According to article 2, paragraph 3 of the agreement, “Catholics and their associations and organizations are guaranteed full freedom of assembly and expression of thought by word, writing and any other means of dissemination.”
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