The Vatican today condemned same-sex unions as deviant and a grave threat to society and declared children adopted by gay couples may be emotionally stunted by the experience.
In a strongly worded document approved by Pope John Paul, released as some European countries have legalised gay unions and the idea is gaining momentum in North America, the Vatican attacked equal rights for same-sex couples.
"Marriage exists solely between a man and a woman . . . Marriage is holy, while homosexual acts go against the natural moral law," said the 12-page document by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
"Legal recognition of homosexual unions or placing them on the same level as marriage would mean not only the approval of deviant behaviour . . . but would also obscure basic values which belong to the common inheritance of humanity."
The document urged Catholic lawmakers to vote against bills legalising gay marriage - the second time this year the Vatican has formally issued the instruction - and said where such laws already existed they should work to repeal them. It also denounced gay couples adopting children.
"Allowing children to be adopted by persons living in such [homosexual] unions would actually mean doing violence to these children . . . [placing] them in an environment that is not conducive to their full human development".
Debate over legalising gay marriage has intensified in North America since Canada took steps to do so and the US Supreme Court struck down state sodomy laws that made it a crime for gays to have consensual sex in their own bedrooms.
In Europe, The Netherlands has recognised registered gay partnerships since 1998, and Belgium followed suit in January this year. The Netherlands also passed laws in December 2000 allowing same-sex couples to marry and adopt children.