All the political groups of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, the first institution of the Archipelago, yesterday unanimously condemned the statements made by the Bishop of Tenerife, Bernardo Álvarez, to Canarian Television in which he assured that homosexuality is a mortal sin and compared it to alcoholism . The reproach of the parties with representation in the Canarian chamber to these “unfortunate” words comes in full succession of unanimous motions of condemnation against Bernardo Álvarez of the local administrations. First it was the plenary session of the Cabildo de Tenerife, then the plenary session of the El Rosario City Council was added, yesterday the Parliament of the Canary Islands did it and today the plenary session of the La Laguna City Council will be added.
However, the Non-Law Proposal (PNL) presented by Sí Podemos in the Canarian Chamber, which requested that the head of the ecclesiastical hierarchy of the province of Tenerife not be invited to public events organized by institutions of the Canary Islands, was not approved. . The purples were left alone in supporting this proposal. María del Río, from Sí Podemos, a party that is part of the Canary Islands Government pact, clarified that her formation does not want to practice “any cruelty” against the bishop, but understands that “you cannot go backwards in respect and dignity of LGTBI people”, in statements collected by Europa Press.
Del Río pointed out that “it rains it pours” with the Bishop of Tenerife because in the past he came to blame minors for cases of pederasty – in a 2007 interview with La Opinion de Tenerife – and stressed that his latest criticism in an interview on Televisión Canaria «they imply contempt and humiliation». On January 18, Bernardo Álvarez criticized homosexuality on the program Buenas Tardes Canarias, on public television. To the journalist’s question about whether homosexuality is a mortal sin, Álvarez replied: “It depends on the person and the circumstances.” “For something to be a mortal sin, the person must be aware that what he does is wrong, if he does it freely and is not conditioned by anything.” He then added: “That’s like the person who drinks, and when he drinks he does some nonsense, and then he says that he was drunk.”
The bishop’s apologies transmitted on January 21 through a statement – ”I apologize to all who may have offended, especially LGTBI people, to whom I express my respect and consideration” – have not stopped the barrage of reproaches. Even the Superior Prosecutor’s Office of the Canary Islands has called Álvarez to testify on the 16th in an investigation that tries to determine if he committed a hate crime.
During the plenary session of the Parliament of the Canary Islands yesterday in which the disapproval of the palmero prelate was approved, Ricardo Fernández (Citizens) pointed out that the bishop’s statements were “unfortunate” because they generate “negative feelings and low self-esteem” in LGTBI people, although he appreciated that he apologized. However, he is not in favor of not being invited to public events while waiting for the investigation opened by the Prosecutor’s Office to end in a complaint for a hate crime, Europa Press reported.
Jesús Ramos (Agrupación Socialista Gomera) affirmed for his part that his group rejects the bishop’s statements, regretted that an institutional declaration was not approved “with the sentiment of the Chamber” and was grateful that Bernardo Álvarez apologized. Carmen Hernández (Nueva Canarias) supported the “strong disapproval” of Álvarez’s words because “they do not even correspond to the position of the Church put forward through Pope Francis”, although she does not support the refusal that he be invited to public events because it would mean “exclude” a part of society that professes the Catholic faith.
Luz Reverón (PP) pointed out that her group condemns the bishop’s homophobic statements as they are “unfortunate” and “undermine people’s rights”, although she apologized and, therefore, will not join in “any public ridicule”. nor to speeches “against Christianity.” Jesús Machín (Nationalist Group) applauded that the groups agreed on the defense of the LGTBI collective and on the approval of laws “without any votes against”, which shows that the Chamber “is a retaining wall” against those who attack against the rights of these people.
Omar López (PSOE) commented that Álvarez is playing an “internal competition” to be the “greatest generator” of hatred in the Church and although he apologized, he clarified that they are not believed because sexual orientation “does not need more debate.”
