Italian premier rejects Vatican opposition to 'homophobia' legislation (Crux)

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has brushed aside Vatican opposition to legislation against “homophobia,” saying that Italy is “a lay state” and need not be governed by Catholic teaching. He said that Italy would make its own decisions regarding the legislation, and whether it complied with the terms of the Lateran Treaty. The Vatican, in a diplomatic note, had warned the Italian government that the proposed law appears to violate the Treaty’s guarantee that Catholic institutions will be free to profess and practice their faith in Italy.