According to Scoop News, New Zealand is planning to pass civil-unions legislation that the Pope says "violate[s] God's plan for humanity."

Paul Litterick, Secretary of the NZ Association of Rationalists and Humanists, noted that the Pope's commitment to marriage was such that he prohibited any of his nuns, monks and clergy from entering into it.

Likewise the Pope's support of the family was shown by the way his church had implemented a deliberate policy of concealing numerous cases of sexual abuse committed by members of his clergy. "God's plan for humanity" also seems to involve Catholic authorities in developing countries denying people access to contraception, thereby creating unwanted pregnancies and spreading AIDS.

Mr Litterick went on to note that the Pope recently lectured the Canadian Government about its plans for formalising same sex unions. "Canada dismissed the Pope's comments as an intrusion in Canadian politics. Our Government should do the same."

"We should tell the Pope to get over it."