Margaret Farley (“Love shaped and grounded in faith”, 27 September) presents an interesting case for same-gender marriage. In the areas of commitment and fruitfulness, she maintains, there is little that the same-gender partners cannot subscribe to. There are two notable exceptions. In the area of fruitfulness, the homosexual couple cannot bear children. They can, however, adopt or foster children, “caring for the children of others” as Farley puts it. The question of commitment is more difficult. Full marital union implies physical commitment in the form of sexual intercourse, “The two”, as Christ points out “becoming one flesh”. The first act of sexual intercourse between the newlywed couple is seen as a consummation of the marriage. In a