A printing company in Co Louth has defended its decision not to print wedding invitations for a gay couple.
A spokesperson for Beulah Print said "we are not against homosexuals however, we do not support same sex marriage, which printing wedding invitations would do".
Jonathon Brennan, who had asked the company to print the invitations for him and his partner John Kierans, said: "I am a Catholic man, I have faith and the decision by Beulah Print has hurt me".
The couple have been together for eight years and are marrying in a civil ceremony on 3 August in Celbridge, Co Kildare.
Mr Brennan is the proprietor of Avenue hairdressers in Drogheda, and has used the services of Beulah Print for posters and flyers related to his work.
He asked the company to print the wedding invitations.
He believed that when Noel Tuite, co-owner of the printing company, called to him at work about it yesterday it was to look at samples.
Instead, he was told the company did not agree with homosexuality and "there is a conflict of interest here and we refuse to do business with you. I was baffled," Mr Brennan said.
He said Mr Tuite told him that if the company was given an image of a naked woman and asked to print it on a poster, that they would refuse to do that as well.
"How offensive that they are linking a wedding invitation to a pornographic image. I couldn't get over it.
"I said I really wish I had of been fully aware of your conflict of interest four years ago before I started doing business with you."
In a statement the company said: "We, at Beulah Print, are Bible-believing Christians who are committed to standing by our conscience and God's Word.
"We have been in business for 12 years during which time we have held to our convictions and have at times declined a variety of work which we felt was clearly contrary to our beliefs.
"We have never hidden our faith from our customers and represent the gospel at every opportunity. We are not against homosexuals however, we do not support same sex marriage, which printing wedding invitations would do.
"We believe the love of God is extended to all people and that he has called us all to walk in the light of his word, for he is the way, the truth and the life."
Mr Brennan said: "I am a Catholic man I have faith, I go to mass, I say prayers and I light candles."
"For me God teaches us to love one another and to love thy neighbour and not to hurt anybody and I am shocked that as Christians that they don't love one another, they hurt me, they caused that, they caused this hurt."
Mr Brennan said he was aware of the company's statement. "I can't help but feel they are on the wrong path. I'd love to give them a shake and say wake up, you are doing yourselves terrible damage here. I am feeling sorry for them," he added.
The couple has offers from other companies to print their invitations.
