WILLEMSTAD - The Diocese of Willemstad issued an official statement on Tuesday to prevent confusion within the community regarding the Catholic Church's stance on same-sex marriage. According to the statement, the Diocese, led by Bishop Luis A. Secco, is the only organization authorized to speak on behalf of the Catholic Church in the islands, the Diocese emphasized.
Earlier, significant criticism was voiced by the pastors of the Asosashon di Pastornan Kristian (APK) regarding the court's ruling on same-sex marriage, which was upheld by the Supreme Court. The pastors consider homosexual relationships to be unnatural and harmful to the community, and they believe this issue requires attention. The Catholic Church disagrees with these statements. Similarly, the chairman of the Central Church Council of the United Protestant Church of Curaçao (VPG) expressed disagreement with APK's views.
The Diocese stressed that some people might mistakenly perceive the communication from the Asosashon di Pastornan Kristian (APK) as coming from the Catholic Church. APK, which functions as an umbrella organization for Pentecostal and Evangelical churches, disseminates its own positions and opinions independently of the Diocese. "These messages do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Catholic Church unless explicitly stated," the Diocese clarified.
Bishop Secco highlighted the importance of transparent and open communication with both the faithful and the broader community. He encouraged community members to rely solely on official statements from the Diocese regarding the Catholic Church's positions. "It is important to clearly distinguish between what the Diocese says and what APK, which represents Pentecostal and Evangelical churches, communicates," the bishop stated.