Church disassociates itself from pastor's call for referendum

The Catholic Church in Malta has distanced itself from evangelical pastor Gordon-John Manché and his River Of Love fellowship, Sunday newspaper Illum reveals.

On Wednesday, Manchè, called on MPs not to steam ahead with the civil unions bill that will legalise gay unions and gay adoptions, and also presented a 10,000-signature petition against civil unions.

A Curia spokesperson insisted that the Church is not associated with the pastor or his fellowship.

“Gordon-John Manche and the River of Love fellowship do not have any link with the Catholic Church or any of its members. Consequently, there is no need for the church to disassociate itself from recent comments because there is no association whatsoever,” a Curia spokesperson told Illum.

Manchè – who spent years abroad pursuing a career of professional ballet dancer - said that should the civil unions bill be approved in parliament, he intends to collect enough signatures for an abrogative referendum to be held on this issue.

Asked whether the curia would support such call for an abrogative referendum on civil unions, the spokesperson was cautious and said that the church’s position on civil unions was already known.

“The holding of a referendum is a legal tool to institute what the majority wants in a democracy. But the common good may not be on the majority’s side,” the spokesperson said.

Read more in today’s edition of Illum.