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07/11/2014
Catholic Priest To End Talks With Gay Groups In Bakery Protest
A member of the Catholic Council for Social Affairs has said he will withdraw from all engagements with groups representing the gay community in protest at possible legal action being taken against Ashers Baking Company.
Fr Tim Bartlett, who this year served on the panel at Belfast Pride, has said he will end engagement until the "freedom of conscience is vindicated and respected by the Equality Commission and the gay community".
In a statement to BBC's Nolan Show, Fr Bartlett wrote: "I will be writing today to those groups from the gay community, with whom I have had a very constructive and ongoing engagement in recent years, to say that I am withdrawing my engagement until the right of all people, in this case Christians, to freedom of conscience is vindicated and respected by the Equality Commission and the gay community.
"I also want to know why the chief commissioner of the Equality Commission talked quite openly about the Ashers case during the Gay Pride debate in Belfast but has since claimed he is not free to talk about it in public debate."
(MH/CD)
Fr Tim Bartlett, who this year served on the panel at Belfast Pride, has said he will end engagement until the "freedom of conscience is vindicated and respected by the Equality Commission and the gay community".
In a statement to BBC's Nolan Show, Fr Bartlett wrote: "I will be writing today to those groups from the gay community, with whom I have had a very constructive and ongoing engagement in recent years, to say that I am withdrawing my engagement until the right of all people, in this case Christians, to freedom of conscience is vindicated and respected by the Equality Commission and the gay community.
"I also want to know why the chief commissioner of the Equality Commission talked quite openly about the Ashers case during the Gay Pride debate in Belfast but has since claimed he is not free to talk about it in public debate."
(MH/CD)
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