In Italy, Archbishop Angelo Bagnasco of Genoa, the new president of the Italian bishops' conference, has rejected charges of interference in secular politics and has strongly defended the involvement of Church leaders in Italy's public debate over legal recognition of civil unions. Yesterday's Catholic World News quotes the Archbishop as saying: "Church leaders have a solemn obligation to protect marriage and the family." However, a poll by Demons-Eurisko for found that more than 60% of Italians-- including 44% of those who describe themselves as practicing Catholics-- oppose Church leaders telling politicians how to vote on the government's proposed recognition of civil unions. (Catholic World News.)
Meanwhile, there are disagreements within the Italian bishops' conference on whether Catholic politicians who vote for civil-union legislation should be subject to some religious sanction, such as denial of the Eucharist. (Catholic World News.)
