"Vive Le Mariage!"

Anglo-French Rally: Braving the freezing cold of March in London, 2013

Sunday saw the biggest demonstration against 'same-sex marriage' yet witnessed in France, with 1.4 million French citizens descending upon Paris to protest against Francois Holland's proposal to redefine marriage in the country.

Ex-patriot French living in the United Kingdom, in solidarity with those protesting against the proposal in Paris, gathered to make their voices heard in Trafalgar Square in a three hour demonstration along with English supporters of 'Le Manif pour tous' ('The March for All') campaign. As many as 2,000 protesters were estimated to have been present at the foot of Nelson's column in support of traditional marriage as both English and French citizens railed against the French Government and British Government's plans to 'extend marriage' to include same-sex relationships.

 Parliament overshadows demonstrators at 'Le Manif pour Tous'

While the Trafalgar Square demonstration passed off without violence or major incident, the news from France was different today, with Life Site News today reporting that police fired tear gas at men, women and children protesting for the rights of all children to be given a natural mother and father, for the rights of public sector teachers not to have to teach this definition of marriage to children and for the rights of conscience to be upheld for all. Along the top steps of Nelson's Column stood children of the French mothers and fathers waving flags in defence of marriage.

The culture clash of the 21st century was evident in Trafalgar Square with a smaller group of counter-protesters jeering and attempting to drown out the voices of those speaking on the many anti-democratic and totalitarian outcomes expected if British and French 'same-sex marriage' proposals pass into law. But for the vocal crowd of pro-'gay marriage' supporters making chants of 'hypocrite', 'bigots' and 'your hate kills', the event was a loud if good-natured affair, as speakers from England and France encouraged those gathered to protest against the legislation to shout 'Vive le mariage' so that David Cameron and Parliament would hear. Despite freezing temperatures, the crowd gathered to protest against the proposals listened to talks from different speakers, including Alan Craig of Anglican Mainstream, one of the few Church organisations that have become involved in the joint French-English demonstration campaign.

1.4 million French citizens demonstrate against same-sex marriage in Paris

There was, sadly, no official representation that I could see from the Catholic Church. This was an excellent opportunity for the Catholic Church in England and Wales to gather momentum in the continuing campaign against the redefinition of marriage.

I found it sad that this initiative, which surely involves at least a small contingent of French and British Catholics, has received as yet no public backing from either the Hierarchy of the Catholic Church or that of the Anglican Church. There is popular sentiment against this proposal, so why is the Catholic Church not tapping into the natural feelings of the majority of British people against it and supporting such a demonstration publicly?

Speakers at the demonstration in London urged protestors on to join other 'manifestations' that will take place in the year and to keep fighting in defence of marriage, an institution which, if redefined in such a radical way, will surely crumble in the decades to come. Protesters were urged to fight now, since once the proposal becomes law, it will surely not be long before all protest against it will be silenced under the force of law. Already, in France, tear gas was used on those demonstrating. What will it be like for those who fight in defence of marriage once it is redefined?

The demonstration on Sunday had me thinking of the two crowds of Holy Week, for there were two crowds at the 'manifestation' in London. On Passion Sunday, we recalled those who lauded and honoured Jesus as He rode into Jerusalem upon a donkey, greeted by many as the Messiah and the long awaited King of Israel. We are led to believe that this was not the same crowd that called out 'Crucify him!' in His Bitter Passion. Two crowds swarmed at Trafalgar Square, one crowd defending Truth and honouring marriage in defence of family and children.

The other crowd, the crowd who are listened to by the modern day Pontius Pilates that fill Parliament mocked and jeered those standing up in defence of the one institution that guarantees the next generation to be raised in stability and with both maternal and paternal love. Those who seek the destruction, redefinition and crucifixion of marriage may very well win in England, France and all of Europe. Let not those in authority in the Catholic Church go down in history as those who, like our politicians, will declare themselves to be 'innocent of the blood of this man, as He who made man and woman for a sacred union for their temporal and spiritual welfare - and that of their children - is crucified once more in our times! We hear in the Gospel that children cried out 'Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord' as Christ rode triumphantly into Jersusalem on a donkey. Children cried out in defence of marriage on Sunday, in France and in England and for their cries were, along with adults, subjected to tear gas from the French State.

Shocked? Well, why are we not doing something about it?! What a disgusting vision of the state of things to come! What a bleak future for children and what a terrible sign this is for the World, when tear gas is used on people by their own Government, protesting against a war not on some foreign nation, but on marriage, family life and even children and the environment in which they flourish! This is not a march against a war but a march against a government proposal that is not yet even law - a proposal that had, in neither France, nor England, no popular mandate! It is children, their future, their safety, their education, even the livelihoods of their parents that are at stake now in this battle over the definition of marriage - a battle started not by the Church, or the populace, or by even homosexuals - but by the State itself. Let us fight and campaign for marriage. Long live marriage! Vive le mariage! Viva Christo Rey!

Oh and by the way, just because people are on opposing sides of the 'debate' on marriage does not mean that they have to be totally at emnity. A fellow protester against the redefinition of marriage and I took one of the pro-'gay marriage' for a drink at a nearby pub afterwards. We got on well and discussed some of the issues. Turned out the guy was a former Mormon who had been married and had had children but now wants to marry his male partner. He came all the way from Norfolk to protest against the protest, so it goes to show the strength of feelings that some have in terms of the legislation, for and against. So while one commenter on my blog is suggesting that people defending marriage from redefinition are narrow minded haters of homosexuals, I thought I'd just nip that one in the bud. He was a nice guy, pray for him.