The Catholic bishops’ conference in Taiwan has stated its opposition to Taiwan’s same-sex marriage bills currently working their way through the country’s legislature.

In a statement released by the bishops this week they encouraged the country’s churchgoers to pray against the bill’s passage.

“The amendments to the civil law will overturn the traditional monogamous marriage system, resulting in changes in the appellation of parents and grandparents, family ethics, moral values. Its impact on family morality and social order is huge,” the bishops said.

“The bill has not been thoroughly discussed in society. There are shortcomings in the amendment procedure while the consequences have not been carefully assessed. Pushing it hastily might lead to more complicated social problems,” they added.

On Nov. 17, when one of the bills entered its second reading, about 20,000 Christians protested in front of the legislative Yuan.

Organized by a group called Taiwan Family, they demanded 30 public hearings and a referendum on the issue.

Meanwhile President Tsai Ing-wen, who has given quiet support to the bid for same-sex marriage, reportedly told some lawmakers that “she never heard of any opposition against same-sex marriage from the church.”