French Officials Debate Same-Sex Marriage

REUTERS, April 28 — Mayor Noel Mamere of Begles, France, plans to wed two homosexual men in June. But the action would be null and void in the eyes of society, according to French Justice Minister Dominique Perben.

The debate highlights recent questions of same-sex marriage in Europe and the rest of the world.

Mamere says there is nothing in current French law that forbids homosexual marriage. Perben, however, says France's Civil Code explicitly refers to marriage as the union of one man and one woman, the news service reported. He warned Mamere of punishment if he went through with the wedding.

“This marriage will be quite simply null and void because it is against the law,” Perben told the newspaper Le Figaro. “A mayor represents the state. He is therefore duty-bound to apply and respect the law, not to promote his own opinions.”

If the wedding were to be performed, Reuters noted, it would do so two months before a visit to France from Pope John Paul II.

Protesters Take Over San Salvador Cathedral

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, April 28 — With the demand that El Salvador president-elect Tony Saca pull the country's troops out of Iraq, protesters seized the San Salvador cathedral April 28.

About 50 people wearing ski masks stormed the cathedral and kicked out visitors and faithful, the wire service reported. They sealed the doors and hung up banners protesting everything from the government's health policy to the U.S.-Central America free trade agreement.

Saca, who takes office June 1, said he plans to leave the troops in Iraq until August as planned, the wire service reported. The soldiers were serving under Spain, which pulled its troops out early.

The protesters eventually gave up their position inside the cathedral, but demonstrations continued outside, the Associated Press reported. About 25 people were injured by tear gas and by rocks thrown by protesters.

Bishop Zen Visits China for First Time Since 1997

BBC NEWS, May 4 — Bishop Joseph Zen, the leader of the Church in Hong Kong who was banned from China in 1998, visited his home-town of Shanghai at the end of April at the invitation of mainland authorities.

Bishop Zen reportedly met with Shanghai bishop Aloysius Jin Luxian during his trip, according to the British Broadcasting Corp. news service. Bishop Zen has long criticized the China government's suppression of Catholics loyal to Rome and has called for democratic reform in Hong Kong.

China only allows Catholics to worship in state-sanctioned churches and bans all contact with the Vatican, the BBC noted. However, it has allowed the 300,000 Catholics in Hong Kong to practice their faith freely in accordance with the high degree of autonomy that exists under the territory's mini-constitution.

“They said there were no conditions attached to the visit,” Bishop Zen told the South China Morning Post, “and I made it clear that I am not going to be silenced and will continue to speak out after I come back.”