Pope Criticizes Canada over Gay Marriage

Pope Benedict XVI issued a statement Friday, telling Roman Catholic politicians in Canada who voted for gay marriage not to sacrifice their personal beliefs.

"In the name of 'tolerance' your country has had to endure the folly of the redefinition of spouse, and in the name of 'freedom of choice' it is confronted with the daily destruction of unborn children," the Pope said.

"When the Creator's divine plan is ignored, the truth of human nature is lost."

The pope argued that Catholic politicians cannot choose to back legislation allowing gay marriage and abortion for political reasons, even if they are personally opposed to those issues.

"They are particularly damaging when Christian civic leaders sacrifice the unity of faith and sanction the disintegration of reason and the principles of natural ethics, by yielding to ephemeral social trends and the spurious demands of opinion polls," he said.

"Democracy succeeds only to the extent that it is based on truth and a correct understanding of the human person. Catholic involvement in political life cannot compromise on this principle."

Same-sex marriage was legalized in Canada last year.