A poll published today by Catholic Voices illuminates the problems faced by the Catholic Church's campaign against gay marriage. The headline figure is that 70% of all respondents thing that "marriage should continue to be defined as the life-long exclusive relationship between a man and a woman". This is impressive until you think about it a bit more, since there is certainly not a majority of 70% of the British people in favour of banning divorce. Sixty per cent, on the other hand, are in favour of legal recognition of same-sex relationships through a civil partnership scheme. These figures will give hope to the campaign against gay marriage but they also demonstrate a wide acceptance for public recognition of same-sex relationships.
What the Catholic campaigners must do is persuade the world that it matters immensely whether this is called "marriage" and that they are at the same time committed to supporting some gay relationships. This is a difficult balancing act, and Cardinal Keith O'Brien made it immeasurably more difficult at the weekend. If the choice lies between Elton John and Keith O'Brien, the Catholic church will lose. Catholic Voices can only win by silencing Catholic voices.
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