""Excuse me? What is this? A Coldiretti demonstration, by any chance?"
by Zeno Menegazzi, President of Arcigay Pianeta Urano
This is how a confused but curious old lady begins as she leaves Verona Cathedral on a sunny and muggy early August. She sees several queers exposed on the ground and addresses the question to the small group of gay and lesbian protesters from the Circolo Pink and Arcigay Pianeta Urano who have improvised the raid following the release of the Vatican document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, signed by Ratzinger against homosexual unions, which are defined as "harmful.".
A fennel in Verona
Inside the church, a wedding; outside, only protesters and incredulous tourists.
""What is Kuesto?" asks a German tourist with an unmistakable Teutonic accent. "It's a protest against Cardinal Ratzinger and his recent document against homosexual unions," explains Giulio Russo of the Circolo Pink in Verona. The German approves and walks away smiling. The sweaty and tired photographers continue to snap the protesters, who are provocatively displaying the vegetables tied together in pairs in the air.
Then suddenly the church doors open and the wedding guests emerge, inevitably encountering the gay activists; the women ask questions and are more willing to accept the flyers, while the more wary men keep their distance, sometimes trying to drag their wives away.
Finally, the newlyweds arrive, preceded by a visibly irritated priest. Instead of joining in the impromptu celebration in the square, he asks the DIGOS officials if they can remove these troublemakers. After receiving his "They are authorized," he walks away muttering.
Meanwhile, the Bride, urged on by gay activists, smilingly accepts the homage of a gay couple, amidst thunderous applause and a barrage of flashbulbs.
Representatives of the Cesar K secular anti-racist coordination group, the UAAR – Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics, the La Chimica Social Centre and the Communist Refoundation Party also participated in the sit-in in Piazza Duomo in Verona.
None from the center-left municipal administration that governs Verona.
‘The atmosphere during the entire Sit-in was serene and joyful, without any tension, but many people's thoughts went to the attack against friend and comrade Michele Bellomo, so much so that an old man who had also come out of church asked: "How is that poor beaten boy? I read about him in the Arena, I pray so much that he gets better." Meditate, dear Ratzinger, meditate!
FROM "IL MATTINO DI PADOVA" OF AUGUST 3, 2003
Gay protest in front of the cathedral
Leafleting and sit-in against the Vatican. "We cannot suffer discrimination.""
More than a year after the Gay Pride parade, homosexuals are demonstrating again. This morning, worshippers leaving the cathedral will find them under the porticoes of the square, protesting against the document condemning gay couples. "Homosexual unions are harmful to the development of society: tolerating evil is a very different thing from legalizing it," are some of the statements found in the document drafted by Cardinal Ratzinger. "These are statements we cannot accept," says Alessandro Zan, president of Arcigay Padova.
""This highly symbolic initiative," Zan continues, "also aims to be a bridge to all those Catholics who disagree with the homophobic and racist theses of this document." Arcigay of Padua also calls on all politicians from those camps to ignore Vatican interference and to send a strong signal of defense of the secular nature of the state by passing laws protecting de facto couples.
""We ask the Padua City Council," Alessandro Zan continues, "to approve a motion requiring the council to establish a registry of de facto couples in our city." This would be a registry in which all cohabiting, unmarried couples, both heterosexual and homosexual, can register. It doesn't entail any rights but serves as a formal recognition of civil unions. "It was recently approved in Bari, the city that hosted this year's Gay Pride," Zan continues, "by a center-right government. Now Mayor Giustina Destro has a chance to make up for the broken promises made before and after Gay Pride 2002.".
The Padua gay circle is also organizing a debate and meeting with citizens for next October on the topic of de facto couples and the presentation of the Civil Solidarity Pact (PACS), a bill introduced by over one hundred deputies based on the French model. Luciano Violante, DS group leader in the Chamber of Deputies; Franco Grillini, honorary president of Arcigay; and Piero Ruzzante, a Padua MP, are expected to attend.
The gay believers' group "Emmanuele" also expressed its dissent. "It's a document," they say, "that arises not from listening to the individual but from a reflection detached from any reference to life, dogmatic or imperative. It's the fruit of a conservative theology that claims to penetrate the consciences of government officials.".
""This," explains the group that participated in the Padua Gay Pride Parade in 2002, "is a regression from the remarkable freedom and openness afforded by the Second Vatican Council documents. But the people of God are now moving in a different direction from this theology.".
FROM "IL MATTINO DI PADOVA" OF AUGUST 4, 2003
Gay sit-in: "Rights for couples"«
Activists in front of the Duomo: "We are not evil." Father Cesare Contarini: "It's a harsh document, but it's worth reflecting on."«
«"No to hate, yes to rights"—with these signs, a group of activists from Padua's Arcigay protested yesterday morning in a sunny Piazza Duomo. The few faithful attending the main Mass at that hour were handed flyers titled "We are not evil." A similar demonstration took place at Verona Cathedral, and others are planned for the coming days.
«"Cardinal Ratzinger's document compares emotional unions between homosexuals to an evil for society," says Alessandro Zan, president of Arcigay Tralaltro. "We are responding in front of Padua Cathedral with a peaceful leaflet distribution, which aims to reaffirm the highest value known to man: love.".
«"I believe this document is a provocation, albeit a strong one," says Don Cesare Contarini, director of "La Difesa del Popolo," "to make society reflect on what God thinks of the family, of men and women today. However, it refers to the society of our time, and has a global perspective.".
«"I watched the debate with amusement," commented Maurizio Saia, Councilor for Security. "And I've noticed a strange silence in recent days from Bishop Mattiazzo, who had immediately opened up to homosexuals during the Gay Pride parade.".
Surprised faces also appeared among the few passersby who were present at the demonstration, which was often captured by tourists' cameras. Umberto Zampieri, city secretary of the Young Left, was also present. "We believe the Vatican document is profoundly flawed," Zampieri said, "both for its intrinsic content, which is timeless, but above all for its call to politicians to oppose the recognition of homosexual unions, which I believe is scandalous.".
«"In this regard," Alessandro Zan adds, "I would like to remember all those Catholics, including Alessandro Manzoni, who went against papal directives when it came to establishing our secular and democratic state. We ask that the same conscientious objection be made today for rights."»
Meanwhile, the proposal to establish a registry of civil unions is sparking controversy: Umberto Zampieri has expressed his support. "If we dismiss the current government next year, we will work to ensure it is implemented, as other center-left administrations have already done." Padua would be the first municipality in the Veneto region to approve such a registry; a similar motion was rejected a few years ago in Albignasego.
But Maurizio Saia's position is clear. "I am totally opposed to the registry, both for cultural and political reasons. It would be meaningless, given the Constitution and the religious demands expressed in the Vatican document, whose hard line I can only agree with, to put a stop to proposals for equalization that have already gained traction in other countries.".
Don Cesare Contarini is more cautious. "I believe we need to better understand the legal framework of the proposal," he explains. "What it means and what rights it provides. It's very different to ask for the recognition of a couple for healthcare, pension, or housing benefits. Adoption is another matter: the child has a preeminent right." The issue is very delicate, even in terms of references to politicians. "The true Catholic politician," Don Contarini clarifies, "is one who confronts a specific problem with an inspiration that comes from the Gospel.".