His Excellency Most Reverend Alexander Sample, Archbishop of Portland, issued a statement about SCOTUS’s pathetic same-sex “marriage” decision. HERE
‘Simply wrong’
Archbishop Alexander Sample responds to decision by Supreme Court legalizing same-sex “marriage”I am deeply saddened by the narrow majority decision of the Supreme Court requiring all states to license and recognize same-sex “marriage.” It is indeed a tragic ruling that will negatively affect the common good of our society, especially the future generations of children. The Court is simply wrong, as the minority opinions state. Our Constitution does not require states to redefine marriage. A Court ruling cannot make what is intrinsically false to be somehow true. Marriage, by its very nature, can only be between one man and one woman. No human decision can trump the natural law which is inscribed in the very nature of man and woman as we come from the hand of the Creator.
Just as the Roe vs. Wade decision did not end the debate over the right to life of the unborn, so this decision by the Supreme Court will not silence those of us who will continue to advocate for a just and proper understanding of the very nature of marriage itself based on the natural differentiation of the sexes.
I am especially concerned with the impact that this decision will have on children. Marriage is the one institution that connects children to both their mothers and fathers. All children have the natural right to know their mothers and fathers wherever and whenever possible. This disturbing ruling will make that much more difficult for future generations of children. For them, it is an injustice.
I am deeply concerned that this ruling will have a chilling effect on the protection of the religious rights and liberties enjoyed by citizens of this great land. It is not at all unreasonable to think that those who will uphold the true nature of marriage as between one man and one woman are going to be in for very difficult days ahead.
As I stated when same-sex “marriage” became legal in the State of Oregon:
“From the beginning, our efforts to prevent this from happening were never about demeaning or attacking the dignity of persons who happen to be homosexual. Their dignity as human persons must never be called into question or denied. This has always been about upholding and protecting the unique institution in our society that we call marriage.”
We will move forward with hope and determination to protect and honor the sacred institution of marriage as given to us from our Creator. For us, marriage can and will always be what it is, i.e. the union of one man and one woman. We will pray for all those negatively impacted by this decision, especially children. May God help us, and may God bless America.
Compare and contrast with the statements of other US bishops.
If you wish, you may post the statements – with links – of other US bishops below… without personal observations. If you editorialize, I’ll delete it.
UPDATE: People have posted statements WITHOUT links to the statements. I will now delete entries that don’t include a link.
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STATEMENT OF ARCHBISHOP BLASE J. CUPICH
ARCHBISHOP OF CHICAGO
June 28, 2015
This week the Supreme Court of the United States issued two rulings with particular meaning for the Catholic Church.
In the first, the Court preserved subsidies for the 6.4 million low-income Americans who depend on them to purchase health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. We have issues with provisions of that legislation and will continue to advocate to preserve our religious freedom. However, we understand that for millions of individuals and families, most of them the working poor, this decision preserves access to health care and the promise it offers of a healthier, longer life.
In the second decision, the United States Supreme Court has ruled that two persons of the same sex have a constitutional right to marry each other. In doing so, the Court has re-defined civil marriage. The proposed reason for the ruling is the protection of equal rights for all citizens, including those who identify themselves as gay. The rapid social changes signaled by the Court ruling call us to mature and serene reflections as we move forward together. In that process, the Catholic Church will stand ready to offer a wisdom rooted in faith and a wide range of human experience.
It is important to note that the Catholic Church has an abiding concern for the dignity of gay persons. In fact, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: “They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.” (n. 2358). This respect must be real, not rhetorical, and ever reflective of the Church’s commitment to accompanying all people. For this reason, the Church must extend support to all families, no matter their circumstances, recognizing that we are all relatives, journeying through life under the careful watch of a loving God.
It is also important to stress that the Supreme Court’s redefinition of civil marriage has no bearing on the Catholic Sacrament of Matrimony, in which the marriage of man and woman is a sign of the union of Christ and the Church. In upholding our traditional concept of marriage, we are called to support those who have entered into this sacred and loving bond with God and each other.
This will be especially important for the members of our own Church as we walk together, respectful not only of the political demands of equality, but above all else, guided by the higher claims of divine revelation. Our aim in all of this will be to hold fast to an authentic understanding of marriage which has been written in the human heart, consolidated in history, and confirmed by the Word of God.
http://www.archchicago.org/news_releases/news_2015/stmnt_150628.html
June 26, 2015
For immediate release
Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson
Bishop Kicanas’ statement on Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriages
The Supreme Court today released what was not a completely unexpected decision with regard to same-sex marriage. While this decision is obviously not in keeping with the Church’s teaching that marriage is a life-long commitment between a man and a woman, it reflects a changing attitude in our country and in many places around the world, such as the recent vote in Ireland permitting same-sex marriages in that country.
There are many marriages performed by the state that are not recognized as sacramental marriages by the Church. Clearly, that lack of recognition would pertain to civil marriages of same-sex couples. In light of the fact that the Supreme Court has upheld the right of same-sexed persons to marry, we now expect the Supreme Court to uphold religious liberty and the right of conscience for members of faith communities to live according to their conviction that marriage is a unique union between a man and a woman that brings new life into the world.
The Church will continue its pastoral outreach to people of same-sex orientation. Since the Church believes that every person is made in the image of God, it follows that each person is to be treated with dignity and respect. The Church rejects the ill treatment of any person and will continue to uphold the dignity of all.
https://diocesetucson.org/cms.diocesetucson/index.php?id=29
Statement from Michigan’s Catholic Bishops [WHERE’S THE LINK??]
Today’s decision from the U.S. Supreme Court to redefine marriage represents a profound legal turning point in the contemporary and cultural understanding of spouses and family. We continue to teach that every human person deserves respect and compassion. The experience of same-sex attraction is a reality that calls for attention, sensitivity and pastoral care. While every person is called to love and deserves to be loved, today’s momentous decision will not change the truth of the Church’s teaching on marriage.
The Catholic Church teaches that marriage is and can only be the union of one man and one woman. This union brings two persons together and, because of their natural biological composition, each bring qualities to the marriage that differ from one another. Man and woman complement each other; they then become united as one in marriage and together are unique in their ability to create new life based on sexual and reproductive differences.
Every child has a mother and a father and even though each child deserves to be loved and raised by them together, we are conscious of and loving toward those who find themselves in circumstances in which this arrangement of a married mother and father in the home is not reality. Married couples unable to conceive children or family structures that differ — single parents, widowed parents, adopted children and those being raised by grandparents or other family members — merit compassion and support for their life situations, which at times can be difficult and challenging. The Church and her ministries must remain conscious of and respectful toward these differing dynamics, especially when support, counsel and love is sought.
Going forward, the Supreme Court’s decision to redefine marriage will have a significant ripple effect upon the first amendment right to religious liberty. It sets the Church’s teaching about marriage in opposition to the law and will create inestimable conflicts between the state and religious persons and institutions. As the impact of the decision plays out over the coming weeks and months the Catholic Church will continue to preach the truth about marriage and will promote, in the public square, this truth as what is good for society and our world.
Most Reverend Allen H. Vigneron
Archbishop of Detroit
Most Reverend Earl A Boyea
Bishop of Lansing
Most Reverend Paul J. Bradley
Bishop of Kalamazoo
Most Reverend Joseph R. Cistone
Bishop of Saginaw
Most Reverend John F. Doerfler
Bishop of Marquette
Most Reverend Steven J. Raica
Bishop of Gaylord
Most Reverend David J. Walkowiak
Bishop of Grand Rapids
Most Reverend Michael J. Byrnes
Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit
Most Reverend Arturo Cepeda
Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit
Most Reverend Donald F. Hanchon
Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit
Most Reverend Francis R. Reiss
Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit
Alaska Catholic Conference of Bishops [appended to Archbishop Kurtz’s / USCCB statement]:
“We continue to teach that every human person deserves respect and compassion. The experience of same-sex attraction is a reality that calls for attention, sensitivity and pastoral care. While every person is called to love and deserves to be loved, today’s momentous decision will not change the truth of the Church’s teaching on marriage.
Going forward, the Supreme Court’s decision to redefine marriage will have a significant ripple effect upon the first amendment right to religious liberty. It sets the Church’s teaching about marriage in opposition to the law and will create inestimable conflicts between the state and religious persons and institutions. As the impact of the decision plays out over the coming weeks and months the Catholic Church will continue to preach the truth about marriage and will promote, in the public square, this truth as what is good for society and our world.”
[LINK?!? I wasn’t kidding. LINK too!]
http://www.austindiocese.org/article/15928/bishop-v%C3%A1squez-statement-supreme-court-ruling-same-sex-marriage
Bishop Joe S. Vásquez, bishop of the Diocese of Austin, released the following statement, in English and Spanish, today:
I am deeply saddened by the Supreme Court’s decision to require States to recognize same-sex marriages, because the opinion is based on the court’s belief that the culture has changed its views of marriage. This causes confusion among those who are faithful to the Gospel and erodes rights of persons in each State.
Regardless of the court’s decision, the nature of the human person and marriage remains unchanged and unchangeable. We will remain true and faithful to the Gospel and we will continue to call people to look deeply into the beauty and understanding of our theology of marriage.
Jesus taught that from the beginning marriage is the lifelong union of one man and one woman. We follow our Lord and will continue to teach and to act according to this truth. I join my brother bishops in encouraging the faithful to move forward with faith, hope, and love: faith in the unchanging truth about marriage, rooted in the immutable nature of the human person and confirmed by divine revelation; hope that these truths will once again prevail in our society, not only by their logic, but by their great beauty and manifest service to the common good; and love for all our neighbors, even those who disagree with our faith and moral convictions. We intend to proclaim the goodness, truth, and beauty of marriage as rightly understood for millennia.
Archbishop Gomez
Statement on the U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges
Most Reverend José H. Gomez
Archbishop of Los Angeles
June 26, 2015
The Supreme Court’s decision is not a surprise. But it is disappointing and troubling.
The Court expresses some beautiful and true thoughts about the “transcendent” purposes of marriage and the importance of marriage as a “keystone” of our social order. The Court acknowledges that marriage has existed “for millennia and across civilizations.”
So it is hard to understand how the Court can feel so assured that it has the power to discard and rewrite the definition of marriage that has existed since the beginning of history — as the lifelong union of one man and one woman.
This decision reflects a deep confusion about the meaning of marriage, the family and the human person; about individual liberty; and about the role of the courts and legislatures in our democratic system of self-government.
By their nature, court decisions cannot really resolve social questions that are rooted in deeply held values, history, and tradition. So the public conversation and debate about marriage will continue.
As Catholics living in this democracy, our first duty always is to love and to reflect the mercy of God to all of our neighbors.
Let us go forward in charity, confident in Jesus Christ and the truths of the Gospel. Let us continue to promote the dignity of all men and women, who are made in the image of our Creator and endowed with a transcendent value and destiny.
Let us continue to work for the good of our society and to create a culture of life and love. Remember that holy lives, good marriages, and strong families can change the world.
The link to go with the text posted by cathgrl:
http://www.micatholic.org/advocacy/news-room/news-releases/2015/bishops-respond-to-decision-to-redefine-marriage/
http://www.bostoncatholic.org/Utility/News-And-Press/Content.aspx?id=31254
June 26, 2015 – Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley’s Statement on Supreme Court Decision
Following is the Cardinal’s statement regarding the Supreme Court decision today:
“As a citizen of the United States and a Catholic bishop, I am saddened by the Supreme Court decision on same sex marriage.
The institution of marriage understood in its human, moral and legal dimensions is a fundamental building block of any society. The protection of marriage and families is a shared responsibility for all of us.
In a pluralistic society we inevitability face disagreements about important political and legal questions. But our division over this question in its moral, political and legal significance is particularly painful.
Certainly every citizen of this land, regardless of their sexual orientation, deserves to be respected in their personal and civic life. But enshrining same sex marriage in our constitutional system of governance has dangers that may become fully evident only over time.
I can only express my disappointment with the decision and invite members of my own religious community to remember and reaffirm the fundamental truths of our faith about marriage. At the same time, faced with a decision that embodies a quite different understanding of the meaning of marriage than held by the Church, we should as citizens and Catholics both protect our own deeply held values and participate with civility and charity in the continuing national discussion about this decision.”
Official Statement from San Antonio
June 26, 2015
Archbishop Gustavo García?Siller
I am profoundly troubled by the decision handed down by the United States Supreme Court concerning Same?Sex “marriage.” I unite with my brother bishops across the nation, calling this decision a “tragic error.” The Catholic Church will continue to proclaim the truth about marriage in our pulpits and in the public square. In Catholic teaching about the sanctity of marriage, it is clear that the union of one man and one woman in Holy Matrimony is more than a human convention or a legal contract, it is a sacred bond that reflects a great reality both in Natural Law and in our deepest held beliefs.
In our wedding liturgy we pray: “Father, to reveal the plan of your love, you made the union of husband and wife an image of the covenant between you and your people. In the fulfillment of this sacrament, the marriage of Christian man and woman is a sign of the marriage between Christ and
the Church.”
It is our belief that God is the author of marriage as a holy covenant between a man and a woman as a blessing to both. The Catholic Catechism teaches; “By creating man and woman he called them to an intimate communion of life and of love in marriage: ‘So they are no longer two but one flesh…. By its very nature it is ordered to the communion and good of the couple and to the generation and education of children.”
Catholic teaching explains that marriage is a loving union between a man and a woman and is not intended to be exclusively a prohibition, but is even more, a proclamation of God’s love of humanity, and the beauty of love itself. In this way the Church carries out the Father’s plan, enriching the lives of married couples and serving the common good.
With love and respect to every human person, the Church will continue to invite men and women, regardless of their sexual orientation, to walk their journey of faith with us, discovering God’s plan for them and for all society. However, it is not within our power to recognize this redefinition of marriage nor participate in this misrepresentation of what we believe to be a sacred union created and reserved to one man and one woman.
https://www.archsa.org/images/uploads/Gay_Marriage_Statement_lh.pdf
Bishop Michael Bransfield, Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston (which encompasses the state of West Virginia), released this statement: “The U.S. Bishops hoped that the Supreme Court would defend marriage as a union between one man and one woman, but the high court’s decision today does not affect the Catholic Church’s understanding of matrimony or her commitment to preserving that understanding of the natural and sacramental identity of matrimony.”
http://www.dwc.org/latestnews/2243-from-bishop-bransfield-of-the-diocese-of-wheeling-charleston.html
My former Diocese
http://elpasodiocese.org/diocese/latest-news/887-bishop-mark-seitz-on-the-supreme-court-decision-regarding-same-sex-marriage
Bishop Mark Seitz on the Supreme Court decision regarding same-sex marriage
June 26, 2015
“That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.” (Gen. 2: 24) This definition of marriage, reaffirmed in clear terms by Jesus, is what we have received from God. It is truly tragic that our United States Supreme Court has taken it upon itself today to contravene what God himself has revealed, a truth also inscribed in the very nature of human beings. This ruling will have tragic consequences for many but clearly the biggest losers will be children who have a fundamental right to be raised in a stable home with the father and mother who brought them to life.
Civil States have for centuries given special protection to marriage because it was recognized that this life-giving relationship is the very foundation of a healthy society. The fact that some married couples do not live up to their high calling should not lead the government to redefine this unique and fundamental institution.
We as Catholic Christians reiterate that there is no justification for prejudice or discrimination toward anyone for any reason. Every person is a child of God and deserves respect and love. That is certainly true of our love for those who are gay. It is our responsibility as disciples of Christ to love and support all of our members even as we call them to follow Christ’s teaching. We will do the same with those who live with same-sex attractions and we will call them to live holy and chaste lives bearing their particular crosses with the joy that only Christ can bring. We will continue to pray for these brothers and sisters and for our nation.
-Bishop Mark J. Seitz
http://www.diocesepvd.org/06-26-15-statement-from-bishop-tobin-the-supreme-court-and-same-sex-marriage/
Diocese of Providence
06.26.15: Statement from Bishop Tobin – The Supreme Court and “Same-Sex Marriage”
“A thousand courts may rule otherwise, but the very notion of “same-sex marriage” is morally wrong and a blatant rejection of God’s plan for the human family. As Pope Francis taught while serving as Archbishop in Argentina: “Same-sex marriage is not simply a political struggle, but it is an attempt to destroy God’s plan. It is a move of the ‘father of lies’ who seeks to confuse and deceive the children of God.”
Despite the current trends of our society, or perhaps because of them, the Church must redouble its commitment to proclaim and defend authentic concepts of marriage and family as we have received them from God. We will always do so, however, in a respectful, charitable and constructive manner.”
(he then links to the USCCB statement)
Statement on the U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges
Most Reverend Jose H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles
The Supreme Court’s decision is not a surprise. But it is disappointing and troubling.
The Court expresses some beautiful and true thoughts about the “transcendent” purposes of marriage and the importance of marriage as a “keystone” of our social order. The Court acknowledges that marriage has existed “for millennia and across civilizations.”
So it is hard to understand how the Court can feel so assured that it has the power to discard and rewrite the definition of marriage that has existed since the beginning of history — as the lifelong union of one man and one woman.
This decision reflects a deep confusion about the meaning of marriage, the family and the human person; about individual liberty; and about the role of the courts and legislatures in our democratic system of self-government.
By their nature, court decisions cannot really resolve social questions that are rooted in deeply held values, history, and tradition. So the public conversation and debate about marriage will continue.
As Catholics living in this democracy, our first duty always is to love and to reflect the mercy of God to all of our neighbors.
Let us go forward in charity, confident in Jesus Christ and the truths of the Gospel. Let us continue to promote the dignity of all men and women, who are made in the image of our Creator and endowed with a transcendent value and destiny.
Let us continue to work for the good of our society and to create a culture of life and love. Remember that holy lives, good marriages, and strong families can change the world.
http://www.angelusnews.com/news/national/statement-on-the-us-supreme-court-ruling-in-obergefell-v-hodges-8290/#.VZMhHF7bJoB
Archdiocese of Santa Fe, Most Rev. John C. Wester:
http://www.archdiocesesantafe.org/Offices/Communications/PressReleases/15.06.26SCOTUSSameSex.pdf
Today the Supreme Court of the United States decided state marriage bans are
unconstitutional, meaning all states will perform and recognize same-sex marriage.
This decision, though significant, does not conclude debate over the definition
of marriage; we would like to affirm the following pastoral response.
As Catholics, we seek to uphold our traditional belief in marriage as a sacrament,
a well established and divinely revealed covenant between one man and one
woman, a permanent and exclusive bond meant to provide a nurturing
environment for children and the fundamental building block to a just society.
At the same time, we respect the dignity of all persons, not wishing to undermine
their pursuit of happiness but only to preserve and defend the gift of marriage as
divinely revealed in scripture and in natural law. Although we respectfully
disagree with those who would define marriage otherwise, we firmly hold that all
persons are loved by our compassionate God and deserve the respect and
dignity that is inherently theirs as human beings.
We acknowledge the right of our nation’s highest court to provide for a well
ordered society by establishing laws that protect the common good and safeguard
the civil and contractual rights and privileges of its citizens. At the same time, we
urge our lawmakers and judges to respect those institutions that are beyond state
and federal jurisdiction, institutions such as sacramental marriage that transcend
civil law and whose origins precede the existence of the state and go beyond its
competence.
http://www.cdlex.org/documents/Stowe_Statement_6-27-15.pdf
Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky
Statement on the Supreme Court Decision (Obergefell v. Hodges)
by Bishop John Stowe
27 June 2015
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As people of faith, we always turn to scripture and the Church’s ancient tradition for our understanding of God’s will for his people and how we are to live in response to his infinite love. Yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling concerning marriage between people of the same sex in no way changes how the Church defines, teaches and celebrates the sacrament of marriage. The sacrament of marriage is that covenant in which a man and woman through their freely exchanged consent offer themselves to each other in love, a love which is to be procreative, and which reflects something of God’s infinite love for his people. God’s love for his people is frequently expressed in the scriptures using marital imagery, the New Testament even refers to Christ as the bridegroom of the Church.
Those who fought for same-sex marriage were able to frame the argument in terms of quality, dignity and human rights. As Catholics, we will have to continue to teach and strive to convince people of the sacred bond of this sacrament and its divinely instituted purpose, an argument that is not being received by many today.
Let us pray for the grace to live faithful marriages, to teach the boundless love of God which is not exclusive of anyone but is expressed through God’s own plan for marriage and for our lives which we discover in the scriptures and in the tradition of our faith handed down through the centuries. The witness of faithful husbands and wives in loving families is the best way we have to celebrate the authentic meaning of marriage. A court ruling does not change our ability to live what we profess.
We should not engage in hateful speech nor reject those people whose expression and understanding is different from our own. Recent popes have insisted that love and truth cannot be opposed to each other. Let us continue to teach the truth in charity and point the way to the bridegroom whose love is expressed in the sacrifice of the cross and his triumph over evil and death.
Peace and all good,
Most Reverend John Stowe, OFM Conv.
Bishop of Lexington.
Bishop Patrick J. McGrath’s Statement on Supreme Court Decision on Same-Sex Marriage
By Diocese of San Jose on June 26, 2015
The Supreme Court’s decision on “same-sex marriage” is disappointing to us, in that it did not affirm the Church’s definition of Marriage as the union of a man and a woman.
I echo a statement of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “When Jesus taught about the meaning of marriage – the lifelong, exclusive union of husband and wife – he pointed back to “the beginning” of God’s creation of the human person as male and female (see Matthew 19). In the face of the customs and laws of his time, Jesus taught an unpopular truth that everyone could understand. The truth of marriage endures, and we will continue to boldly proclaim it with confidence and charity.”
As we continue to learn of the decision announced today by the Supreme Court, our dialogue must remain civil. Beyond the legal, ethical and moral matters related to these issues are real human beings, each created in the image and likeness of God. In our pluralistic and democratic society, people of good will espouse different points of view and must work, especially in the face of the challenges as great as these, to find common ground in our shared humanity.
http://www.dsj.org/blog/bishop-patrick-j-mcgraths-statement-on-supreme-court-decision-on-same-sex-marriage/
Archbishop Carlson of Saint Louis
http://archstl.org/node/4370594
“The decision issued today by the Supreme Court to effectively change the legal definition of marriage in the United States does not alter the unassailable truth that marriage is, and always will be, the life-long, life-giving union of one man and one woman.”
Archdiocese of Atlanta
Archbishop Wilton Gregory
http://www.archatl.com/archbishops/gregory/writings/2015/ABG_SameSexMarriage_Response.pdf
“Each U.S. Supreme Court decision that has ever been rendered has resulted in deep disappointment for some people and vindication for others. If we all agreed on the outcomes of these divisive cases, there would simply be no reason for the Court to convene. This most recent decision is no different.
By the same token, every court decision is limited in what it can achieve; again, this one is no exception. It does not change the biological differences between male and female human beings or the requirements for the generation of human life, which still demands the participation of both. It does not change the Catholic Church’s teaching regarding the Sacrament of Matrimony, which beautifully joins a man and woman in a loving union that is permanent in commitment and open to God’s blessing of precious new life.
This judgment, however, does not absolve either those who may approve or disapprove of this decision from the obligations of civility toward one another. Neither is it a license for more venomous language or vile behavior against those whose opinions continue to differ from our own. It is a decision that confers a civil entitlement to some people who could not claim it before. It does not resolve the moral debate that preceded it and will most certainly continue in its wake.
This moral debate must also include the way that we treat one another – especially those with whom we may disagree. In many respects, the moral question is at least as consequential and weighty as the granting of this civil entitlement. The decision has offered all of us an opportunity to continue the vitally important dialogue of human encounter, especially between those of diametrically differing opinions regarding its outcome.
The decision has made my ministry as a pastor more complex since it demands that I both continue to uphold the teachings of my Church regarding the Sacrament of Matrimony while also demanding that I insist upon respect for the human dignity of both those who approve of the judgment as well as those who may disapprove.”
Honolulu Bishop Silva statement
Statement of Most Reverend Larry Silva, Bishop of Honolulu, on the decision of the United States Supreme Court to legalize same-sex marriage in all states – June 26, 2015
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
The Supreme Court has once again made a bad decision in affirming that no state may lawfully ban so-called “same-sex” marriage. It has done so before, most notably in the Roe vs. Wade decision that has led to the deaths of millions of innocent children. The Court has confused equality of persons with equality of institutions and has declared that same-sex marriage is equal to marriage between a man and a woman. It is not. For millennia society has affirmed this special life-long union of male and female that is based on the very ecology of the human body, the wonder of human fertility, and the need of children to be raised, whenever possible, by their biological father and mother in a complementary and stable union. It is the true diversity that God built into our nature.
It must be understood that what is legal in civil society is not necessarily moral in a society that grounds its common life in something beyond the will of the individual, that is, in “nature and nature’s God.” (U.S. Declaration of Independence) We have strayed far away from God – and from nature – in so many ways, and we are challenged even more now to restore what has been lost.
While our sisters and brothers with same-sex attractions are equal to everyone else in dignity and the respect that is due to every human being, there is no intrinsic right to redefine marriage, despite what the Supreme Court has ruled. It is now our task to be vigilant that those who accuse us of intolerance for believing what God has revealed to us do not deprive us of our freedom to believe in the God who made us male and female in his own image. St. Paul’s warning to the Romans, whose great empire collapsed under the weight of willfulness, is very relevant to us today. May the Lord guide and strengthen us in his love!
Bishop Michael Jarrell of the Diocese of Lafayette (Louisiana)
http://diolaf.org/documents/2015/6/corrected%20Same-Sex%20Marriage%20Press%20Release%206%2026%2015%20.pdf
(I had trouble copying and pasting from the original statement. This is from a news site and is
not complete. My computer skills are limited)
Bishop Michael Jarrell with the Diocese of Lafayette has released the following statement in response to the 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of same-sex marriage:
Let me state very plainly that no human court has the authority to change what God has written into the law of creation. This ruling is irreconcilable with the nature and definition of marriage as established by Divine Law. The marital covenant was established by God with its proper nature and laws.
I realize that this ruling will create conscience problems for many Catholics, especially those in public office. In some cases, civil disobedience may be a proper response. No priest or deacon of this Diocese may participate in the civil solemnization or celebration of a same-sex marriage. All Catholics are urged not to attend same-sex marriage ceremonies. No Catholic facility or property, including but not limited to parishes, missions, chapels, meeting halls, Catholic educational, health or charitable institutions, or facilities belonging to benevolent orders may be used for the solemnization of same sex marriage.
The upcoming Synod of marriage and the Family is scheduled for this October. It is dedicated to the vocation and mission of the family in the church and in the contemporary world. I may give consideration to the problems created by the alteration of the traditional law about marriage.
As Catholics, we have a profound respect for the dignity of all God’s children. Nevertheless, there is no basis in law or in nature for altering the traditional definition of marriage, established by God from the beginning.
http://www.colsdioc.org/
STATEMENT FROM OHIO BISHOPS REGARDING U.S. SUPREME COURT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE RULING
Today the United States Supreme Court released its ruling that states are required to license a marriage between two people of the same sex. This is not the ruling hoped for by the Catholic Church, which believes that marriage is by definition between one man and one woman. For centuries, this definition has been universally accepted in virtually all cultures – secular as well as religious.
Every nation has laws limiting who can be married and under what circumstances. This is because lawmakers always have understood that marriage does not exist just for the mutual satisfaction of the two people involved, but for the betterment of society. Traditional marriage is the cradle of the family, the basic building block of society. As Pope Francis has reminded us, every child has a right to be raised by two parents, a father and a mother. Both parents are important, and they are not interchangeable. The sad reality that so many children are deprived of this right because of the crisis in traditional marriage does not make it any less important. It is deeply disappointing and worrisome that our courts do not understand this.
The Catholic Church remains steadfast in its commitment to promote and defend marriage: defined as the union of one man and one woman. With renewed hope, sensitivity, and compassion, the Church will continue to attend to the challenges and hardships that confront individuals and their families, and to treat all persons with the dignity and respect due to them as children of God.
https://www.cathdal.org/news-item?r=DODLJ0FDCK&send_to=%2F
Bishop Kevin Farrell responds to the SCOTUS ruling on marriage
Obispo Kevin Farrell responde a la decisión de la Corte Suprema en referencia al matrimonio
6/26/2015
The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a ruling that redefines the civil definition of marriage. Marriage, as understood in the Catholic faith, has always been and still is the sacred lifelong commitment of one man and one woman. Marriage as the union of one man and one woman predates all nations, laws and constitutions. Marriage is not only a relationship of love between two persons who are committed to one another, but it is also about creating the next generation — this requires both a man and a woman.
The same Constitution that has now been held to open civil marriage to same-sex couples confirms and protects the Church’s right to carry forward the historic teaching of the Church regarding the Sacrament of Marriage.
As Catholics we believe in the dignity of each and every human being made in the image and likeness of God. As such, we accept all persons with respect, compassion, and sensitivity and must be mindful that, even in polarizing times, there is no place for derision or smugness. I pray that all persons who hold dear the civil liberties afforded by the United States Constitution will join us in working to safeguard the rights of people of faith to live and exercise that faith as they believe God requires.
I ask all to pray for the sanctity of the Sacrament of Marriage and to join me in continuing to always pray for our country.
Most Reverend Christopher J. Coyne,
Bishop of Burlington
In all matters, the Church upholds and teaches the dignity of each and every human
being as created in the image and likeness of God, including persons with same-sex
attraction, whom we accept as our brothers and sisters with respect, compassion
and sensitivity. At the same time, the Church maintains the dignity and sanctity of
marriage as a natural union established by God between one man and one woman,
intended towards the establishment of a family in which children are born, raised,
and nurtured. These two tenets of our faith – the dignity of each and every human
being and the natural definition of marriage – are not in opposition to each other but
are directed toward the common good of all.
With deep respect for all our brothers and sisters, there is no basis in law or in
nature for any definition of marriage that seeks to expand it beyond that of a lifelong
and life giving covenant between one man and woman. Today’s 5-4 decision by
the U.S. Supreme Court redefining marriage as a union between two consenting
adults regardless of gender ignores the fundamental and natural truth of marriage
and opens its definition to the whims of public opinion. Efforts to redefine marriage
based on an expansion of a “right to marry” are misguided, as it is not within the
power of any institution, religious or secular, to redefine marriage since it is God
who is its author.
As the Catholic bishop of Vermont, I will continue to preach and teach the truth of
marriage as it is ordered by God, encouraging all people to embrace the fullness of
that truth, while upholding the dignity of all persons and I urge all involved in this
issue to conduct themselves with mutual respect and civility in public discourse.
http://vermontcatholic.org/files/958/statement%20of%20cjc%202015-06-26.pdf
From Bishop Curtis Guillory of the Diocese of Beaumont, Texas
“The Supreme Court decision on same sex marriage does not change the truth about
marriage as revealed to us by God nor as defined by all of human history. The decision is a
grave error. And yes, the Church continues to uphold the dignity of every person. But, the
experience of same sex attraction is a reality that calls for sensitivity and pastoral care, not a
re-definition of the sacredness of marriage as inscribed in our bodies as male and female,” said
Bishop Curtis Guillory, S.V.D.
Bishop Guillory issued a statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision
interpreting the Constitution as requiring all states to recognize same sex marriage. Bishop
Guillory’s remarks echo those of the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops which called the
decision a “tragic error that harms the common good and the most vulnerable among us,
especially children.”
“Regardless of what a narrow majority of the Supreme Court may declare at this time, the
nature of the human person and marriage remain unchangeable. The marriage union brings a
man and woman together who because of their natural biological composition bring qualities
to marriage and parenthood that differ and complement one another,” Bishop Guillory said.
“Every child has a natural mother and father and even though they deserve to reared by
them, the Church is aware and responds with love to those circumstances where that is not
possible. Married couples unable to conceive children and family structures that differ such as
single families, adopted children, widowed parents, grandparents raising children – all of those
receive compassion and support from the Church and her ministries.”
Bishop Guillory added that he had grave concerns that today’s Supreme Court decision will
have a huge rippling effect upon the first amendment right to religious freedom and now sets
the law in opposition to Church teaching.
Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the
Court was “wrong” and called the decision “immoral and unjust” comparing it to the Roe vs.
Wade decision which legalized abortion.
http://dioceseofbmt.org/navigation-home/images/content/homepage/Statement_Same_Sex_Marriage.pdf
Iowa Bishops comment on Supreme Court marriage decision
The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on marriage saddens us. To make something legal does not mean that it is true or good. Take, for example, the ruling that legalized abortion.
Notwithstanding this ruling, we will continue to lead people to live under the Gospel, which requires us to be humble and loving to all others, regardless.
The Gospel also compels us to defend and share with others Jesus’ teaching on marriage, which re-asserted the original plan of creation, and which no one can rend asunder:
One man and one woman who freely give themselves to each other in a permanent and exclusive partnership, to be helpmates for each other, and to be open to conceiving and bringing up children.
We believe that this understanding of marriage does no harm; on the contrary, it serves the common good of society, as well as the good of family life, and of children.
We still expect that true religious liberty, enshrined in our Constitution, and won at such a dear price, will be honored, allowing us to be guided by a faith-formed conscience in our teaching and practice.
Most Rev. Michael Jackels, Archbishop of Dubuque
Most Rev. Martin Amos, Bishop of Davenport
Most Rev. Richard Pates, Bishop of Des Moines
Most Rev. R. Walker Nickless, Bishop of Sioux City
https://www.dbqarch.org/statement-from-the-catholic-bishops-of-iowa/
http://www.arlingtondiocese.org/newsdetails.aspx?Pageid=422&id=8664
Statement by Bishop Paul S. Loverde and Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo on Supreme Court Marriage Decision
2015-06-26
Virginia Catholic Conference Logo
DIOCESE OF ARLINGTON ? DIOCESE OF RICHMOND
Representing the Virginia Catholic Bishops in Public Policy Matters
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution requires states to issue marriage licenses to two persons of the same sex, and requires a state to recognize as marriage the union of two people of the same sex when it was lawfully licensed and performed out-of-state. We are deeply distressed by this decision which fails to uphold marriage as the union which unites one man and one woman. This fundamental institution, grounded in natural law, predates any religion or nation.
All persons have inviolable dignity and deserve love and respect. Unjust discrimination is always wrong. However, our commitment to marriage is a matter of justice and fidelity to our Creator’s original design. Marriage is the only institution uniting one man and one woman with each other and with any child who comes from their union. Redefining marriage furthers no one’s rights, least of all those of children.
As Bishops, we believe it is more vital than ever that we share the Church’s consistent witness to the truth about marriage, and we call on Catholics and those concerned for the common good to continue to pray, live and speak out with charity about the true nature of marriage. The truth cannot be marginalized.
We will join with our brother bishops from across the country when we shortly share an additional statement from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which will provide further analysis.
“The decision by the U. S. Supreme Court is deeply disappointing. However, it does not change the beauty of the Church’s teaching on marriage as the permanent and exclusively faithful union of one man and one woman, for the good of the spouses and for the procreation and education of children. Sexual difference, male and female, is essential for marriage and children.” — Bishop Peter J. Jugis, Diocese of Charlotte
http://catholicnewsherald.com/42-news/rokstories/8090-supreme-court-redefines-marriage-throughout-us
http://www.diocese-sacramento.org/PDFs/StatementonSCOTUSmarriagedecision.pdf
Statement by Bishop Jaime Soto on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision, June 26, 2015
“All Americans deserve respect for their human dignity. The Catholic Church has stalwartly stood by that fundamental belief while also recognizing marriage as the unique relationship between a man and a woman.
Unfortunately, the Supreme Court today in attempting to do the former distorted the latter. The decision of the Supreme Court has attempted to address the issue of respect in the wrong way and has pushed the Country further down a libertarian understanding of freedom and equality. While many will demean a public place for religious belief in the wake of this decision, it is religious faith that will continue to be the primary force of charity and self-sacrifice in the United States.
The Catholic Community will continue to address the more stubborn and cruel forms of inequity in our country: enduring forms of racism such as witnessed last week in Charleston, a broken immigration system that helps no one and widening economic disparity that robs people of hope. None of these deep inequities are touched by today’s decision; we still have much work to do. “
Bishop David Walkowiak
Diocese of Grand Rapids, Mich.
http://www.dioceseofgrandrapids.org/multimedia/Pages/Bishop_Walkowiak_statement_Supreme_Court_marriage_ruling.aspx
“Unconditional love and acceptance for all is at the heart of the Gospel. It is also at the heart of our Catholic faith. This is true regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation and will not change, because we are all human beings created in the image of God. Every person is of equal dignity, value and worth.
The Catholic faith has constantly taught, that marriage is the unique relationship between one man and one woman that needs to be promoted and strengthened. Marriage is a gift from God, rooted in nature itself. The biological realities of male and female together with the complementarity they bring to the institution of marriage allow for the natural procreation of children and the opportunity for the child to be nurtured and to learn from a mother and a father who each bring unique gifts to the family. Neither today’s United States Supreme Court decision, nor subsequent alterations to civil law, can change this truth which we profess.
All persons should be welcomed, respected and cared for. We strongly affirm those who are living faithfully according to Christian teaching while finding themselves with a same-sex attraction. We pray that they will continue to seek out a close relationship to Christ through the community of the Church, its faith, and its sacraments.”
RE: Statement from Bishop William Murphy on today’s Supreme Court Decision on “same-sex” marriage
FROM: Bishop William Murphy, Diocese of Rockville Centre, Long Island, NY
Today’s wrongly decided decision by the United States Supreme Court does nothing to alter the truth on the meaning of Holy Matrimony, a sacrament given to us by Jesus Christ. Holy Matrimony is a Sacrament, a covenant by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life. It is clear that the US Supreme Court has chosen to accept a culture-driven redefinition of marriage. What is equally clear is that , no other union is, or can ever be its equal and we have the God-given and constitutional right to proclaim religious truths, in the public square, as well as our churches, just as we have been doing for almost 50 years in the ever vigilant battle against another wrongly decided decision, Roe V. Wade.
http://drvc.org/2015-press-releases/statement-from-bishop-murphy-on-supreme-court-decision.html
The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a ruling that redefines the civil definition of marriage. Marriage, as understood in the Catholic faith, has always been and still is the sacred lifelong commitment of one man and one woman. Marriage as the union of one man and one woman predates all nations, laws and constitutions. Marriage is not only a relationship of love between two persons who are committed to one another, but it is also about creating the next generation — this requires both a man and a woman.
The same Constitution that has now been held to open civil marriage to same-sex couples confirms and protects the Church’s right to carry forward the historic teaching of the Church regarding the Sacrament of Marriage.
As Catholics we believe in the dignity of each and every human being made in the image and likeness of God. As such, we accept all persons with respect, compassion, and sensitivity and must be mindful that, even in polarizing times, there is no place for derision or smugness. I pray that all persons who hold dear the civil liberties afforded by the United States Constitution will join us in working to safeguard the rights of people of faith to live and exercise that faith as they believe God requires.
I ask all to pray for the sanctity of the Sacrament of Marriage and to join me in continuing to always pray for our country.
http://bishopkevinfarrell.org/2015/06/a-response-to-the-scotus-ruling-on-marriage/
The initial release from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee:
MILWAUKEE – On Friday, June 26, 2015, the U. S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to legalize gay marriage. Below is a statement from Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki regarding the decision:
“Today is a sad day for the sacrament of marriage, when the United States Supreme Court redefines marriage to be something other than what God created.
Marriage is between one man and one woman. This decision doesn’t change the Catholic Church’s teaching about the sanctity of this sacrament and the natural bond of marriage that is the very foundation of society.
We are a Church founded on the loving relationship of God and the Catholic Church upholds that every person is created in the image and likeness of God with immeasurable dignity and worth.
The Church opposes any and all harassment, violence and unjust treatment of any person, including those with same sex attraction.”
http://www.archmil.org/News-2.0/Archbishop-Listecki-Responds-to-Legalization-of-Gay-Marriage.htm
versus Archbishop Listecki’s reaction after having a few days to think it over:
June 30, 2015
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
For a long time now, I have felt that we have entered a post-Christian era in the history of western civilization. There is almost an embarrassment about being a Christian and a denial of the roots that Christianity has provided in the development of our society. In the European society, the Euro community refused to acknowledge the historical significance of Christianity in the development of European society. The pope made an impassioned plea for that recognition, but it fell on deaf ears. Now we have a European community that is clinging to its roots, as it is slowly being destroyed by its own hubris.
Here in the United States, we are apparently a European “wannabe.” We have been slowly disavowing ourselves of any connection to religion and separating ourselves from any symbols which may be offensive, though they have been in existence for decades.
Part of it can be attributed to the tyranny of the minority — one person is offended by a statue or a picture reflecting some religious symbolism and off we go to an activist court for social reconstruction — the sensitivity of the one is imposed on the many.
Oh! But we have separation of Church and state, they say (actually only by judicial edict). There was no separation of Church and state when the parochial schools were educating the masses because government lacked the capacity to do so. There was no separation when the religious hospitals were providing care in areas the government could not or would not. Nor when religious charities were providing for the homeless long before state welfare organizations were instituted.
Separation seems to be a concept of when we need you it’s “okay, please participate” and when we don’t “get out of our political way because we don’t need to be tainted by your religious zeal.” Religion is treated like the intellectually challenged adult that, in less enlightened times, would be kept separate from the family for fear of embarrassment and from the social elite who might think less of them.
As Catholics, we have weathered the governmental and societal bashing that has taken place for 2,000 years. We survived the Roman Empire, the monarchies, the “isms,” of Nazism, communism and self-proclaimed “rationalists.” And we will survive the rejection of our own society and its continued attempt to muffle our voice and isolate us from the decision-making table. We will pay a price. But, we will not do so without preaching and teaching the truth.
The recent decision of the Supreme Court legalizing same sex marriage is sad, because it once again takes upon itself the redefinition of the word. This time it’s “marriage.” The definitions of words seem to not matter to the court. The simple truth is that marriage is between a man and a woman. Why? Because from the dawn of civilization men and women were joined together to perpetuate our species. Marriage constitutes a family where individuals are raised, given an identity and form the basic building block of our society.
In our brave new world, we can generate human beings in a test tube — no one need know who the father is. A surrogate can be used, as would an incubator, in order to fulfill the desire for a child by two males. The terms mother and father are now subject to redefinition. Perhaps it will take a village to raise the children, especially if they will not have identifiable role models. But, we have permitted same sex individuals to claim marriage as a right at the cost of family deconstruction and role model redefinition.
I haven’t even broached the subject that God ordained marriage. From the beginning he created them, males and females were told to go forth and multiply. The Church has established marriage as a sacrament and it is evident in its teachings how essential the understanding of marriage between a man and a woman is to the faith.
I know that you have often heard the term “cafeteria” Catholic. This is a Catholic that picks and chooses what is convenient in the teachings and ignores the rest. The Supreme Court decision was made by a court composed of six Catholics, with the majority opinion rendered by Catholic judge, Justice Anthony Kennedy (supported by another Catholic, Justice Sonia Sotomayor). Perhaps, he remembered another Kennedy claiming that he would not be guided by the pope or the teachings of the Church once he is elected president. The four dissenters were Catholic with an excellent dissenting opinion rendered by Justice Antonin Scalia (concurring Chief Justice Roberts, Justice Thomas and Justice Alito).
This was not the first time that a terrible decision was influenced or rendered by a Catholic on the Supreme Court. Chief Justice Tawney in the Dred Scott decision actually inferred that a slave, a man, a human being, was just a piece of chattel and must be returned to the owner. This decision was the seed of Civil War and the decision of the court to define a man as property. And Justice Brennan, the only Catholic on the high court, influenced the Court in the Roe v Wade decision, voting with the majority. This decision denied any rights to the child in the womb which has led to the destruction of more than 50 million lives since 1973 (read “The Brethren: Inside the Supreme Court” by Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong).
We will not be assuaged from what the Church teaches and I believe it calls for even greater courage in the face of this rejection of truth. Ever the social critic, Cardinal Francis George may be right when he said that he will die in his bed, his successor will die in jail and the one who follows his successor will die a martyr in the public square. He envisioned the social upheaval in our society as a mounting persecution of the Church. I will willingly wear the orange jumpsuit, if it means standing up for the truth and the Catholic faith.
I guess one doesn’t have to worry whether or not any Catholic judge or Catholic elected official would be compelled to follow the teachings of his or her faith. Unfortunately for some, it’s just a window dressing that can change with the seasons (political pressure, popular opinions and the polls). That’s a sad commentary on the effect of faith because so much truth and goodness (dignity of the human being) is found in the richness of a faith that mandates us to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
See with God’s Eyes,
Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
original post: https://629896.content.nlgrid.com/wf/webmail?rp=ZTI1bGQzTnNaWFIwWlhKZmFXUTZNVEl6TkN4MWMyVnlYMmxrT2pJMU5qVTBmUWV5SnVaWGR6YkdWMGRHVnlYMmxrSWpvaU1URTVNRGMxTWpNaUxDSnVaWGR6YkdWMGRHVnlYM1Z6WlhKZmFXUWlPakV3TVRBME1UZzVOamc0T1gwPQ%3D%3D
where I found it: http://badgercatholic.blogspot.com/2015/06/abp-listecki-booming-remarks-on.html
“The Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision on marriage is not a surprise. The surprise will come as ordinary people begin to experience, firsthand and painfully, the impact of today’s action on everything they thought they knew about marriage, family life, our laws and our social institutions. The mistakes of the court change nothing about the nature of men and women, and the truth of God’s Word. The task now for believers is to form our own families even more deeply in the love of God, and to rebuild a healthy marriage culture, one marriage at a time, from the debris of today’s decision.”
+Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap.
Archbishop of Philadelphia
http://archphila.org/press%20releases/pr002607.php
Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Diocese of Raleigh
Bishop Burbidge responds to the Supreme Court’s decision regarding civil marriage
The following is a statement by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge in response to today’s (6/26/2015) Supreme Court ruling regarding civil marriage:
The true definition of marriage cannot be redefined by courts—it remains the permanent union of one man and one woman, ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring. The Catholic Church, along with many other Christian and religious traditions, will continue our work with regard to this true definition of marriage and to strengthen the moral basis for all such relationships. As Catholics, we are called to never compromise the beliefs that we treasure and celebrate, while always respecting and loving one another other as God’s sons and daughters.
It is important to note that the majority opinion of the Court acknowledged that people of faith may continue to advocate, with the utmost sincerity and conviction, that by Divine precepts, same-sex marriage should not be condoned. Furthermore, the Court reaffirmed that the First Amendment of the Constitution ensures that the Church is to be given proper protection as it seeks to teach tenets about the family structure which have long been revered.
As the impact of today’s Supreme Court decision will continue to be discussed and debated, we are also reminded that as members of God’s holy family, we are to treat and engage one another in mutual and lasting respect.
Link: http://dioceseofraleigh.org/content/bishop-burbidge-responds-supreme-courts-decision-regarding-civil-marriage
From His Excellency Robert C. Morlino, by the grace of God, Bishop of Madison:
http://madisondiocese.org/Portals/0/Communications/Press%20Releases/Statement%20-%20Supreme%20Court-Marriage%206-26-2015.pdf
The Church’s response to the ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States, recognizing “same-sex marriage”, is the same today as it would have been yesterday, namely that the definition of marriage is an objective truth of the natural order. Such truths can only be recognized and never changed, regardless of a court’s ruling or of a vote anywhere in the world.
As we have stated frequently, and repeat today, marriage is, and can only ever be, a unique relationship between one man and one woman, for one lifetime, with openness to children. This is not based on any private sectarian viewpoint, but on human ecology, which all are bound to respect, at all times, as inscribed in our human nature, from the beginning of creation. Because it behooves us to safeguard the sacred ecology of all nature, especially of our human nature, the Church will continue to do so.
In continuing to recognize the objective truth about marriage, we must also remind everyone to respect, love, and care for all individuals we encounter, regardless of who they are, where they come from, or how they define themselves. This will never change. It is at the core of who we are as members of Christ’s Church.
We, as the Church, will continue to proclaim the truth of marriage, lovingly and with respect. We pray that all individuals of goodwill continue to seek the objective truth and, in doing so, reconcile their own thoughts and desires with Him who established those truths before the beginning of time.
His Excellency, Most Reverened Robert Vasa of the Diocese of Santa Rosa in California:
http://srdiocese.org/SCOTUS_decision_same_sex_unions
Years ago, in the Dred Scott decision, the US Supreme Court ruled that blacks were not persons. This was despite the fact that each justice presumably believed all of mankind is created in God’s image (cf. Genesis 1:26). Similarly, today’s Justices have erred with the Obergefell case just like their predecessors did with Dred Scott, by making an egregious error in moral judgment.
*While five Justices may have changed marriage’s legal definition, they can never change its moral definition. As such the true definition, the moral definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman—that is ordered not only toward the couple but the procreation and education of children—remains unchanged.
*Just as Roe v. Wade did not settle the abortion question nearly two generations ago, Obergefell v. Hodges does not settle the marriage question today.
*The Court was wrong in 1973 with Roe. It is wrong again in 2015 with Obergefell.
http://cardinalsblog.adw.org/2015/06/the-implications-of-the-supreme-courts-ruling-on-same-sex-marriage/
Donald Cardinal Wuerl
The Implications of the Supreme Court’s Ruling on “Same-Sex” Marriage
The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a ruling that in effect redefines the civil definition of marriage nationwide. It has decided that every state must recognize “same-sex marriage” as a constitutional right. The law of the land affirms that “marriage” in civil law may now include two persons of the same sex. While this is not the Church’s understanding of marriage, it is a definition confirmed by the Court.
One concern with the new definition of marriage is that some Catholics may think that because the civil law definition of marriage has changed, so too has the Church’s teaching on what constitutes marriage. Another issue is that some people with a same-sex attraction may feel, after all the debate on sexuality and the true nature of marriage, that they are not welcome in the Church. Still others may wonder why Church teaching calls for a respect for each person but not approval of every lifestyle or activity. Then there are those who want to know more about the faith in order to participate better in discussions. How can we be well prepared to go out, as Pope Francis tells us, to engage and accompany people as we all try to draw closer to the Lord?
What does the Church teach about “marriage” and has it changed? The opening chapters of the Bible, the Book of Genesis, reveal to us the deepest truth about the nature of the human person and God’s plan for us. The revealed Word of God is still what it was before the Supreme Court decision. Marriage is the life-long union of a man and a woman given for the purpose of their mutual good and for the procreation and education of children. Sacred Scripture confirms this meaning of marriage and Jesus raised marriage to the dignity of a sacrament which means that, for the baptized, marriage is a sign and means of God’s grace. With the eyes of faith we see so much more when a man and a woman pledge their love to each other.
Our faith is not based on human preferences but the revealed Word of God. When some Pharisees were trying to test Jesus about marriage and divorce, our Lord said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’” (Matthew 19:4-5)? We cannot reinterpret Jesus’ words. Married love is unique in God’s plan for the bodily union of a husband and wife. The total gift of married love is unique because it requires the sexual difference that a man and woman bring to their union, each complementing the other and making them capable of and open to new life in the gift of children. In summary, the loving communion of persons that is marriage is meant to be faithful, fruitful and life-long.
Are people who share our faith but struggle with the Church’s understanding about marriage still welcome at Church? Because Jesus came to save all people, all are invited to be a part of God’s family – his Church. Faithful to her Lord and Founder, the Church welcomes everyone. It is the home for all who seek to follow Jesus as his disciple. This welcome is extended to everyone: married couples with children, unwed mothers and fathers, the single unmarried, couples who struggle with infertility, men and women with same-sex attraction, individuals facing gender issues, those whose marriages have broken down and suffered the trauma of divorce, people with special needs, immigrants, children born and unborn, the young, seniors, and the terminally ill, sinners and saints alike. If the Church were to welcome only those without sin, it would be empty. Catholic teaching exhorts every believer to treat all people with respect, compassion, sensitivity, and love. All are called to walk with Jesus and so all who try to do so have a place in the Church.
How then do we respond to those who say, “If you want to accept me, you must accept what I do?” Church teaching and common sense make a distinction between who a person is and what that person does. We are children of a loving God, made in his image and likeness. Thus we are worthy of respect. We are also called to follow God’s plan and the moral law expressed, for example, in the Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount and the reflection on the Last Judgment (cf. Mark 10:17-21; Luke 18:18-22; Matthew 5, 6 and 7; Matthew 19:17-20; Matthew 25:31-46). Sacred Scripture and Church teaching call us both to recognize our human dignity and also to live according to God’s plan.
The ancient Maxim “love the sinner but hate the sin” is central to our behavior because it refers to all human beings. The Lord asks us to “be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect,” but he does so in reference to how we are to love one another (Matthew 5:48). In the Sacraments, he also gives us the grace to do so. The Church has and always will meet people where they are to bring them closer to Christ.
At the same time, to condemn any sin is not discrimination against the person who commits the sin. Disagreement is not discrimination. We do not force people to agree with us, we ask to be granted the same freedom to hold our beliefs. Catholic teaching on human sexuality is the same for all. We are called to love God and love one another in truth (Matthew 22:36-40; Ephesians 4:15; Philippians 1:27; cf. Gaudium et Spes, 24; Caritas in Veritate, 1-2; Familiaris Consortio, 11 et seq.).
What then is our responsibility in the face of all the changes in man-made civil law? We are followers of Jesus Christ, so our message must be what he proclaimed. All Christians have the responsibility to learn and to grow in their faith in order to share it with others. We should be able to explain what we believe and why we hold it. This means taking up the challenge to be better informed on Church teaching and why such belief is part of the vision rooted in Gospel values. This is all the more important when we find the teaching difficult.
We witness with our lives. Each one of us is called to an exalted standard of life and to be witnesses to the joy of the Gospel. As Jesus says, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). May the world see that to follow the Lord Jesus, to be a member of His Church, makes a difference.
In an effort to share the truth of marriage and promote enrichment and healing, the Office of Family Life is beginning the Visible Sign Campaign. You can visit http://www.VisibleSign.org to learn more about family life, sign up for the newsletter, and find a complete list of resources.
On a very practical level, there is a concern about the new definition of “spouse” and its legal ramifications. In this area for example, we must find a way to balance two important values, the provision of appropriate health care benefits for all Church personnel including their spouses, and the avoidance of the perception that by doing so we accept a definition of marriage and spouse contrary to faith and revealed truth.
For decades the bishops of the United States have insisted that access to decent health care is a basic safeguard of human life and an affirmation of human dignity from conception until natural death. They have advocated that health care legislation should 1) ensure access to good quality, affordable health care for all; 2) retain longstanding requirements that organizations not be forced to pay for elective abortions or plans that include them, and 3) effectively protect conscience rights. We continue in this tradition.
The Archdiocese of Washington has a long and recognized history of serving all people across this metropolitan area in education, health care, social services, outreach to the poor and needy and collaboration with all people of good will in building up the common good. We remain convinced that it is precisely by being true to our Catholic identity that we can continue to help realize a truly good and just society where all enjoy the benefits of peace, prosperity and freedom.
These reflections come with the hope that we try clearly to respect the law of the land and its implications and at the same time we are equally clear on our understanding of marriage and what it means in the light of the Gospel. As our Holy Father, Pope Francis, reminds us, we are all sinners but sinners who have been embraced with the mercy of God and we must therefore all try to find a way of accompanying one another as we make our way through life and try in the light of the Church’s teaching to draw ever more close to the Lord Jesus.
http://www.rcda.org/our_bishop_Supreme%20Court.html
Bishop Scharfenberger’s statement on the Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage
The following is a statement of Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger regarding today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage:
“Today’s misguided Supreme Court decision cannot change what marriage is, any more than decreeing the world flat can make it so.
“Fortunately, the beauty and holiness of what marriage is will continue to shine in the intimate, life-long partnership of love and sacrificial self-giving between one man and one woman, fundamentally open toward the procreation and education of human persons. Sadly, five members of the Court follow a popular, but very narrow and deconstructive view of this rich, God-given gift.
“There is much more to conjugal love than two people – of whatever gender or sexual orientation – focused on each other, however passionately. It is from marriage of all relationships that human persons – God’s greatest joy and creation – come into being naturally and most fittingly. Its full meaning lies outside itself. Our faith will always proclaim and bear witness to this great and unique partnership of love, inviting all to embrace its truth and full potential.”
Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger
June 26, 2015
http://www.dioceseofnashville.com/news/bishops-letter-to-the-people-of-the-diocese-1
Bishop’s letter to the people of the diocese of Nashville
by Bishop David R. Choby
Friday morning’s announcement of the Supreme Court’s decision to require all states to license and witness “same-sex” unions as well as affirm and recognize such unions performed in other states addresses only the approach of civil law relating to marriage.
It enjoys no authority when it comes to an understanding of the nature of marriage as understood and taught in Sacred Scripture and the teaching of the Catholic Church flowing from them.
The court’s decision reflects the sharp division that we experience as related to social issues. Such is the reality of a secularized society. Still, such strong differences never justify hatred or disdain. Each and every person enjoys an inherent dignity resulting from being created by God Himself.
It is such a vision of everything finding value and meaning in relationship to God, the source of life, which informs our way of looking at marriage.
In the years ahead, I am sure that there will be many unintended consequences of this court opinion; consequences that cannot be seen now.
However, it remains for us as Catholic faithful to pray and work to safeguard the right to the benefits of Religious Freedom; as we seek to teach and live out our understanding of marriage.
Such times are not new to the Church. Throughout history the vision of faith has been challenged and opposed; even to the point of persecution. Look at the present fate of Christians in the Middle East. Look at the treatment of Jesus, Himself.
Rather than allowing the court’s decision to weaken our own faith, we can hope it becomes an additional reason for honoring the Sacrament of Marriage with greater resolve.
Sincerely in Christ,
Most Reverend David R. Choby
Bishop of Nashville
SSPX
http://sspx.org/en/news-events/news/americas-day-of-grief-8879
http://www.buffalodiocese.org/home/tabid/37/vw/1/itemid/3357/bishop-malone-expresses-disappointment-in-supreme-court-marriage-decision.aspx
Bishop R.J. Malone of the Diocese of Buffalo, NY
Bishop Malone expresses disappointment in Supreme Court marriage decision
Friday, June 26, 2015 by Office of Communications
I am bitterly disappointed that the majority of justices of the U.S. Supreme Court has decided to overturn the definition of marriage, which has remained unchanged for millennia. Marriage is the lifelong exclusive union of one man and one woman, a font of unitive life and love as well as the foundation of a stable family and society.
Marriage is rooted in creation: God created marriage in the very same breath as He created the human person, and for the Catholic Church, that will not change.
It is my prayer that despite today’s developments, we will embrace anew the truth, beauty and goodness of marriage as it has always been and always will be, between a man and a woman.
PEORIA – Regarding the Supreme Court decision today requiring all 50 states to issue marriage
licenses to same sex couples, Bishop Daniel Jenky, C.S.C. stands united with the Bishops across
the United States and makes the statement of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’
his own:
(Here would be an article with the USCCB statement.)
No further comment will be offered by the Catholic Diocese of Peoria.
http://www.cdop.org/pages/NNewsDetail.aspx?ID=27
http://bishopsblog.dioceseofcheyenne.org/
SCOTUS Ruling Today On Marriage: A Response
June 26th, 2015 | Author: Bishop Paul D. Etienne
I am disappointed with today’s US Supreme Court ruling that requires all states to recognize the union of same sex couples.
Pope Francis recently reminded all people of good will that “every man and woman is created out of love and created in God’s image and likeness.” (cf. Genesis 1:26) (Laudato Si, # 65) This fundamental understanding of the human person and their inherent dignity is intimately linked to our Creator. Certainly, we as members of the Catholic Church will continue to promote and defend the dignity and respect of every person.
The same Creator has also inscribed the truth of marriage in the very body of the human person. This truth of marriage as a union between a man and a woman has been received from the Creator and lived by men and women since the foundation of the world. Such truth never changes. Only human philosophies change over time. Sadly, today’s ruling by the US Supreme Court is one more shift in human thought that will not stand the test of time.
The Catholic Church will continue to preach the dignity of every human person, and invites a respect for all people, despite their own beliefs and practices. At the same time, the Catholic Church will continue to teach the dignity and sanctity of marriage as the loving and fruitful union of one man and one woman.
It is our deepest hope that today’s ruling will in no way allow the government to eventually restrict religious institutions and people of faith from teaching what we believe, and will respect our religious freedom to practice what we teach.
http://diopitt.org/breaking-news/statement-bishop-david-zubik-supreme-court-ruling-right-same-sex-marriage
From Bishop Zubik in Pittsburgh:
This morning, in a 5–4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution requires states both to license same-sex marriages within their own borders and to recognize such marriages as licensed in other jurisdictions. As a society, we will wrestle with the impact of this decision on our understanding of marriage and family for years to come. This decision is a wrong decision for our country. When we deliberately alter the design of marriage, we weaken the very foundation of society.
The Church has taught and will continue to teach respect for the dignity of all women and men, regardless of sexual orientation. The Church is here for everyone, and Jesus extends His love and mercy to all of us.
Jesus taught unambiguously that marriage is the lifelong union of one man and one woman. The Church’s teaching on marriage is changeless, based not simply on reason and natural law, but by God’s design. Regardless of what a narrow majority of the Supreme Court has decided at this moment in history, the nature of the human person and marriage remains unchanged and unchangeable.
It is my hope that the rights of Christians and other believers who hold marriage as a sacred, lifelong commitment between a woman and a man will be respected and recognized. The First Amendment of our country’s Constitution professes our right to religious liberty, both as individuals and as congregations of all faith traditions. The amendment is intended to secure our right to teach and live the truth according to our beliefs.
The decision rendered today was an opinion of five of the nine Supreme Court Justices. It is my hope that in our nation, people who hold a traditional understanding of marriage may be respected, too. The rights of believers who hold marriage as a sacred, life-long commitment between a woman and a man need to be honored in the spirit of our country’s deep commitment to equality and religious freedom.
I call on all people of good will to proclaim the goodness, truth and beauty of marriage as rightly understood for thousands of years. Where differences arise, we need to respectfully engage in dialogue in a spirit of truth rooted in love.
Diocese of San Diego
Bishop Robert W. McElroy’s Statement on the
Supreme Court of the United States Ruling on Same Sex Marriage
Today the United States Supreme Court ruled that the historic definition of marriage as a relationship between one man and one woman is unconstitutional.
The Catholic Church, along with other faith traditions, teaches that the nature of marriage and the family cannot be redefined by society, as God is the author of marriage and its corresponding gift of co-creating human life. The legal recognition of marriage is not only about personal commitment but also about the social commitment that husband and wife make to the well-being of their children. It is for this reason that it is important for government to give a unique status to marriage between one man and one woman both in law and in public policy.
The Catholic community of San Diego and Imperial counties will continue to honor and embody the uniqueness of marriage between one man and one woman as a gift from God- -in our teaching, our sacramental life and our witness to the world. We will do so in a manner which profoundly respects at every moment the loving and familial relationships which enrich the lives of so many gay men and women who are our sons and daughters, our sisters and brothers, and ultimately our fellow pilgrims on this earthly journey of life.
And commanded by the Gospel of Jesus Christ we will continue to reach out to families of every kind who are encountering poverty, addictions, violence, emotional stress or the threat of deportation, and to attempt to bring them faith and care, service and solidarity.
http://www.diocese-sdiego.org/Portals/0/content/2015-06-26-Supreme_Court_Ruling_on_Marriage.pdf?ver=2015-06-26-140733-543
http://www.archbalt.org/news-events/press-releases/archbishop-lori-responds-to-the-supreme-courts-decision-on-marriage.cfm
and from Archbishop Lori in Baltimore:
“Today’s ruling does not just affect one law but in fact hundreds, if not thousands, of federal, state, and local laws and regulations that implicate marriage, spouses, and so forth. We may very well see a difficult road ahead for people of faith who believe in the true definition of marriage. As Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, President of The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in his statement earlier today, we ‘ask [that] all in positions of power and authority…respect the God-given freedom to seek, live by, and bear witness to the truth’ about marriage.”
“The decision makes a nod in the direction of religious liberty but not enough of one. It recognizes free speech rights of religious people to speak and advocate but does not acknowledge the free exercise of religion, the right to implement church teaching and the right to follow church teaching when interacting with the broader society. Today’s decision, I believe, will give rise to many challenges and legal controversies and we will do our best to protect ourselves in terms of how we organize and run our ministries and to advocate for protections at the state and local levels.”
https://www.dioceseoftyler.org/news/2015/06/bishop-stricklands-statement-on-u-s-supreme-court-decision/
Joseph Edward Strickland
By the Grace of God and the Apostolic See
Bishop of Tyler
TO THE PRIESTS, DEACONS, CONSECRATED RELIGIOUS AND CATHOLIC FAITHFUL OF THE DIOCESE OF TYLER, OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF OTHER FAITH TRADITIONS, AND ALL PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL IN THE THIRTY-THREE COUNTIES OF NORTHEAST TEXAS THAT MAKE UP THE DIOCESE OF TYLER:
On the morning of June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down a 5-4 decision establishing the legal right of two individuals of the same sex to legally marry in all 50 states. By doing so, the Court has acted in contradiction to their duty to promote the common good, especially what is good for families. I join with the Bishops of the United States in calling this decision a “tragic error.”
Let me unambiguously state at the outset that this extremely unfortunate decision by our government is unjust and immoral, and it is our duty to clearly and emphatically oppose it. In spite of the decision by the Supreme Court, there are absolutely no grounds for considering unions between two persons of the same sex to be in any way similar to God’s plan for marriage and the family. Regardless of this decision, what God has revealed and what the Church therefore holds to be true about marriage has not changed and is unchangeable.
Marriage is not just a relationship between human beings that is based on emotions and feelings. Rather, our Sacred Scriptures and Sacred Traditions tell us that God established true marriage with its own special nature and purpose, namely the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of children.
While taking a strong stand for marriage is the duty of all who call themselves Christian, every type of unjust discrimination against those with homosexual tendencies should be avoided. We must treat these individuals with loving kindness and respect based on their dignity as human persons. Christ rejects no one, but he calls all of us to be converted from our sinful inclinations and follow the truth He has revealed to us. Nevertheless, our continued commitment to the pastoral care of homosexual persons cannot and will not lead in any way to the condoning of homosexual behavior or our acceptance of the legal recognition of same-sex unions.
While some of us may have family members who have same-sex attraction, and there are even some who are members of our local churches, this decision to require the legal recognition of so-called marriage between homosexual persons should in no way lead us to believe that the living out of this orientation or the solemnizing of relationships between two persons of the same sex is a morally acceptable option.
We know that unjust laws and other measures contrary to the moral order are not binding in conscience, thus we must now exercise our right to conscientious objection against this interpretation of our law which is contrary to the common good and the true understanding of marriage.
Given this and recognizing my responsibility and moral authority as the shepherd of this Church of Tyler, I will shortly issue a decree in this Diocese establishing, as particular law, that no member of the clergy or any person acting as employee of the Church may in any way participate in the solemnization or consecration of same-sex marriages, and that no Catholic facilities or properties, including churches, chapels, meeting halls, Catholic educational, health or charitable institutions, or any places dedicated or consecrated, or use for Catholic worship, may be used for the solemnization or consecration of same-sex marriages.
Finally, I call on the Catholic faithful of the Diocese to turn in prayer to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, asking their intercession for our nation that all of us may come to a greater understanding of the beauty, truth and goodness that is found in marriage as revealed to us by our Savior.
I instruct that this letter is to be publically read by the priest-celebrant following the proclamation of the Gospel at all Masses of obligation in the parishes, missions and chapels of Diocese of Tyler on the weekend of July 3-4, 2015.
Given at the Diocesan Chancery
On the 26th day of June
Friday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Fifteen
Most Reverend Joseph E. Strickland
Bishop of Tyler
Bishop Michael Farrell, Diocese of Lafayette, LA:
http://diolaf.org/documents/2015/6/corrected%20Same-Sex%20Marriage%20Press%20Release%206%2026%2015%20.pdf
(NB: This is a scanned PDF and, thus, cannot be easily copied and pasted)
From Bishop Robert Deeley, Diocese of Portland ME (which encompasses the entire state of Maine)
http://www.portlanddiocese.net/content/statement-bishop-deeley-regarding-supreme-court-decision-marriage
“Today’s decision of the Supreme Court requiring a civil recognition of same-sex ‘marriage’ is a profound disappointment for all who know marriage to be grounded in human nature in the complementarity of man and woman. In his recent Encyclical, Laudato Si’, Pope Francis warned against attempts to remake marriage and the family stressing the great importance of the family which is ‘the place in which life—the gift of God—can be properly welcomed’ and is ‘the heart of the culture of life’ (213).
Though the decision is a disappointment, we are also reminded that the Catholic Church believes in the respect that is due to all people, and that which preserves their human dignity. This respect is at the core of our faith, as is our belief in the authentic meaning and definition of marriage. Neither principle should be confronted with discrimination. I am thankful that the true principle of religious liberty is specifically upheld in this decision. As Justice Kennedy wrote in today’s decision, ‘it must be emphasized that religions, and those who adhere to religious doctrines, may continue to advocate with utmost, sincere conviction that, by divine precepts, same-sex marriage should not be condoned. The First Amendment ensures that religious organizations and persons are given proper protection as they seek to teach the principles that are so fulfilling and so central to their lives and faiths, and to their own deep aspirations to continue the family structure they have long revered.’
Marriage is a sacred bond; an institution that serves as the foundation of our society. The Church will remain devoted to celebrating this precious gift as it has been received from the Creator and is grateful for the religious liberty, as enshrined by our ancestors in our founding documents, which allows each of us to defend our values and beliefs.”
Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
Archbishop Coakley Statement on Supreme Court Ruling for Same-Sex Marriage
“Today is a moment of historic consequence for our nation. The Supreme Court has made a tragic error. This decision will have devastating consequences, especially for children today and for generations to come. No matter the court’s ruling, it cannot change
what marriage really is. Marriage by its nature remains the union of one man and one woman. Marriage is a natural institution that predates and precedes governments and government regulation.
Marriage is about far more than love shared between adults. Society needs an institution that connects children to their mothers and fathers, and marriage is the only institution that by its nature is able to accomplish this. Children have a basic right, wherever possible, to know and be loved by their mother and father together in a stable union.
The Church will steadfastly defend this right, and continue to affirm the sanctity of marriage as established by God, written into human nature, and recognized as such for millennia. Even as Roe v. Wade did not end the public debate over abortion, this decision will not end the debate over marriage. I encourage prayers for our nation, for families and children, and for those who disagree with us. Now more than ever we have to be vigilant in our defense of religious liberty due to the threats that are sure to ramp up as a result of this decision and its consequences in law and in public opinion.”
– The Most Rev. Paul S. Coakley, Archbishop
http://www.archokc.org/top-news/5514-archbishop-coakley-statement-on-supreme-court-ruling-for-same-sex-marriage
Statement from Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin, sixth Archbishop of Indianapolis:
http://www.archindy.org/archbishop/scotus-2015.html
The Supreme Court of the United States of America published a decision on June 26, 2015 to redefine marriage in a fundamental way. This decision does not change the truth that is older than states and courts. The Catholic Church, along with other faith traditions, teaches that marriage is a natural institution established by God to be a permanent union between one man and one woman, intended towards the formation of a family in which children are born and nurtured.
The ruling is not surprising in light of the number of states in which courts have recognized same-sex marriage as well as rapidly changing attitudes in American popular culture regarding the nature of marriage. The Catholic community has long recognized values that distinguish its understanding of marriage from the legal definition. Those differences have become more acute.
So where do we go from here?
The Catholic Church will continue to teach and preach the truth that marriage is a union of one man and one woman and encourage all people of good will to embrace the fullness of that truth. We will work to promote and strengthen marriage and families. We will strive to uphold the dignity of every human person, including persons who experience same-sex attraction, welcoming them as our brothers and sisters.
The decision of the Supreme Court is an invitation to Catholics to proclaim the Gospel that sets all people free. I pray the Supreme Court’s decision will be an invitation for all people of good will to discuss respectfully what divides us and seek the common good of all, especially of families. I ask that those who disagree with the teachings of our Church may recognize our God-given freedom to live according to our faith and our consciences.
http://www.bridgeportdiocese.com/index.php/fcc/article/change_in_civil_law_does_not_reflect_understanding_of_sacramental_marriage
BRIDGEPORT—“Last week’s Supreme Court decision reflects rapidly shifting attitudes in our secular American society. However, it does not change the teachings of the Catholic Church or its understanding of sacramental marriage.
More specifically, the Church clearly teaches that the sacrament of marriage is a covenant of love that can be entered into only by a man and a woman—a covenant that binds and seeks to deepen the union between spouses over their lifetime and opens them to the creative power of their love in the procreation of children. The Supreme Court’s decision does not change this fundamental Catholic teaching of faith.
While affirming marriage as “God’s “masterwork” in a recent talk, Pope Francis noted that Jesus “begins his miracles in a marriage, in a wedding feast: a man and a woman.” While clearly affirming the Church’s teaching on marriage, the Holy Father has also repeatedly urged us to act lovingly and mercifully toward all of our brothers and sisters, even those who may disagree with our beliefs, and to be more welcoming to all those who seek the healing of Christ.
This change of civil law, despite the challenges and difficulties that it presents to our religious beliefs, must not stop our efforts to continue our mission to become a more welcoming Church, and to evangelize by witnessing to the beauty and truth of the Church’s teaching in our own lives, including our belief in the sacrament of marriage.
Witnessing to the truth has become increasingly difficult in our contemporary age because truth is considered a relative matter by many of our neighbors and friends. Yet if we move forward in love and respect, then people of all ages will find safe harbor in the Church’s teaching and be drawn to loving and faith-filled communities we wish to create.”
Diocese of St. Augustine, Fla.
http://www.dosafl.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Statement-by-Bishop-Felipe-J.-Estevez-06262015.pdf
Statement on Supreme Court Decision on Same-Sex Marriage
Most Rev. Felipe J. Estévez
Bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine
June 26, 2015
The U.S. Supreme Court got it wrong today when it redefined marriage and now
forces states to license and recognize marriages between two persons of the same
sex. Man and woman were designed by God for each other, and only a man and
woman can form a union that brings forth children.
From the very beginning of sacred Scripture, God reveals his plan for the human
race. The Supreme Court rejected this absolute truth endorsing moral relativism,
which endangers the very foundation of the family. It is the life-giving union of
man and woman that initiates the family and society depends on this institution to
thrive.
Our commitment to proclaim the truth, goodness and beauty
of marriage and familyremains stronger than ever. We must increase our efforts to strengthen
marriages and families and rebuild a culture of marriage.
We respect the opinions of others and we love all persons regardless of their
positions on this moral question.
We hope our state and our country will protect the religious freedom of institutions
and individuals to proclaim without prejudice our moral and religious
convictions.
The Diocese of Venice in Florida (His Excellency, Bishop Frank Dewane, gloriously reigning):
http://dioceseofvenice.org/statement-of-the-diocese-of-venice-in-florida-on-obergefell-v-hodges-decision/
“The decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to grant that marriage is allowed between people of the same sex comes as no surprise. The Catholic Church has always considered the family – rooted in marriage between a man and a woman – as the foundation of a healthy society.
“It must be remembered that all cultures throughout time have seen marriage as between men and women. This is not a specific religious teaching, but a part of human heritage. Nothing the court says can change what marriage truly is and the Church will continue to promote and defend it.
“Pope Francis has repeatedly spoken about how the “family is the foundation of co-existence and a remedy against social fragmentation. Children have a right to grow up in a family with a father and a mother capable of creating a suitable environment for the child’s development and emotional maturity.”
Looks like the USCCB has done some of this work for us. They have links to a great multitude of (arch)diocesan and Conference statements here: http://www.marriageuniqueforareason.org/blog/
Archdiocese of New York. Not a statement really, but a resource page:
http://archny.org/defend-marriage
The office of Bp. Thomas Tobin of Providence sent me this statement, to add to the other statements of bishops which are being released:
Here is a link for the Michigan bishops’ statement:
http://www.saginaw.org/dos-news/michigans-catholic-bishops-respond-to-us-supreme-court-redefining-marriage.html
http://www.sfcatholic.org/Bishop/documents/Supreme%20Court%20Decision_June%202015.pdf
Statment of The Most Reverend Paul J. Swain
Bishop of Sioux Falls, SD
The 5-4 decision of the United States Supreme Court redefining marriage is not a surprise
but still a sad development.
I fully support the statement made by the President of the United States Conference of
Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the Most Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, Archbishop of Louisville, and
its characterization of the Court’s decision as harmful to the common good. I also fully concur in his call to be people of faith, hope and love. Faith in the unchanging truth of marriage as God intended; hope that this truth will once again prevail in our society; and love of all our neighbors even those who disagree or punish us for our faith and moral convictions.
On Monday, June 29 beginning at 7:00 PM at the Cathedral of St. Joseph, a previously scheduled prayer service will be held in conjunction with our annual Fortnight for Freedom. This coordinated effort of the US bishops seeks to raise awareness of threats to our protected religious liberty. The recent ruling and other examples of intrusion into protected freedoms will be addressed more fully at that time.
Saint Thomas More and Saint Joseph our patrons, pray for us.
http://www.bhmdiocese.org/content.asp?id=1535306
Today the Catholic Church once again gives thanks to God for the beauty and wonder of His creation and the relationships He has forged in the act of that creation. And, together with many other churches and faith traditions, we once again affirm the great gift of married love which expresses the natural, personal complementarity of man and woman and offers them the possibility of becoming co-creators with God of human life. We continue to affirm that this fundamental relationship, forged between one man and one woman, preexists all societies, as it was founded in the very act of the creation of man and woman. I wish to commend the four justices of the United States Supreme Court who saw the institution of marriage as something more expansive than any one nation or period in history, and I laud them for their courage in the stand they have taken. The five justices who voted for the majority opinion have undermined the institution of marriage for years to come. We pledge to continue to work with other faith-based and secular communities who share this view and to do all we can to help promote marriage and family life in our Diocese, our State, and our Nation.
Today the Catholic Church once again gives thanks to God for the beauty and wonder of His creation and the relationships He has forged in the act of that creation. And, together with many other churches and faith traditions, we once again affirm the great gift of married love which expresses the natural, personal complementarity of man and woman and offers them the possibility of becoming co-creators with God of human life. We continue to affirm that this fundamental relationship, forged between one man and one woman, preexists all societies, as it was founded in the very act of the creation of man and woman. I wish to commend the four justices of the United States Supreme Court who saw the institution of marriage as something more expansive than any one nation or period in history, and I laud them for their courage in the stand they have taken. The five justices who voted for the majority opinion have undermined the institution of marriage for years to come. We pledge to continue to work with other faith-based and secular communities who share this view and to do all we can to help promote marriage and family life in our Diocese, our State, and our Nation.
Most Reverend Robert J. Baker, S.T.D.
Bishop of Birmingham in Alabama
Statement by Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of the Diocese of Brooklyn as published in The Tablet (the diocesan newspaper, not to be confused with The Bitter Pill)
http://thetablet.org/courts-decisions-threaten-consciences/
My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,
The Constitution of the United States is a remarkable document penned by our Founding Fathers that has kept our Union together since its foundation, and gives a spirit of equality to all citizens of the United States of America. With two recent decisions of our Supreme Court, however, we wonder how the Constitution has been used to justify two complex, yet similar, actions. Both decisions are grounded in misunderstanding of human freedom. Individual conscience has been put to the test.
The first decision of the Supreme Court last week is regarding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as ObamaCare, that permits participants to receive federal subsidies even if their states have not set up exchanges, meaning state-sponsored insurance programs. The issue is not really about subsidies, but more importantly about state’s rights in relationships to the federal government.
Overreaching Federalism has always been a danger to our Union and the correct interpretation of the Constitution. The details of this type of subsidy and the overall failure of the Affordable Care Act – which originally was to cover over 41 million un-insured Americans but has provided coverage for 18 million people – should have been considered differently.
The United States Bishops have been constantly in favor of universal healthcare. However, this disastrous act has had many unintended consequences, especially for conscience issues. All new Affordable Care Act health policies, with few exceptions, must cover sterilization, abortion and contraception, not withstanding any conscience rights of those who are required to pay for these services that are against their consciences. The recent Supreme Court decision upholding the whole law only makes these provisions more difficult to fight as they are finding their ways through the courts and even to the Supreme Court.
The second decision of the Supreme Court regarding the legalization of the so-called same-sex marriage is another example of how the Court has made individual freedom trump communal responsibility. The redefinition of marriage as a union of two persons of the same sex has had monumental consequences for our Nation. Almost 20 states have direct bans on same-sex marriage. Again, overriding Federalism trumped the rights of these states and the persons in those states who voted against something which violated their consciences.
We have heard the law praised on the basis that “love is love.” Well, love does not equal marriage. Marriage contains, by definition, something which sustains the human race. It is meant for the procreation of human life. The only interest of the State in marriage should be to regulate the care of offspring and the legitimate rights of parties entering into marriage. The State has no business in regulating relations between persons. Notwithstanding the morality or immorality of certain sexual acts between married and unmarried persons, the Constitution is silent. However, by using the Fourteenth Amendment, the purpose of which was to defend former slaves, the Court redefined marriage to extend the rights of marriage to same-sex couples.
The greater consequences for the passage of this law are for the Church and its institutions. In the arguments before the Supreme Court and two questions placed by the Justices, one question was given to the Solicitor General, “What would happen if an institution would refuse to hire someone who was in a same-sex marriage, since there was judicial precedence in a case where a Christian college refused to hire people in racially mixed marriages.”
Of course, this is not the position of the Church, but was the position of that organization. In that case the court ruled that the college could be stripped of its tax-exempt status. Given our strict labor laws in the United States, unlike those in many industrialized countries, the Church would be compelled to hire individuals who by a public act repudiate the teachings of the Church and live publicly in ways not in keeping with the Gospel. Advocates of same-sex marriage have themselves indicated that this is the “new front” to “secure equal rights.” This certainly will be an area where great dispute will occur.
We must be ready to stand for the rights of our own consciences and beliefs. In a pluralistic society, everyone has a right to say what they believe and why they believe what they believe. Unfortunately, marriage is not a matter of belief. Rather, it is a matter of natural law which has ruled our world for millenniums. It is, unfortunately, a total misunderstanding of human nature has occurred at this time in our history. Our Nation has certainly put out into the deep murky waters of unjustified interpretation of our Constitution on this Fourth of July weekend. Only as voting citizens can we ever make a change in the direction of our society. I urge you, as we come closer to the primary elections, and the presidential elections in the future, to register to vote. This is the only way in a democratic society that we can make a difference.
Statement of Daniel Cardinal DiNardo Archbishop of Galveston-Houston:
http://www.archgh.org/blog/main.asp?Tid=1768&id=461&cat=Archdiocesan
The Supreme Court’s narrow majority decision today is gravely unjust as it attempts to change the nature of marriage. Mandating marriage redefinition across the country is a tragic error harming the common good and the most vulnerable among us. The ruling does not and cannot change what marriage really is. No one and no court can make what is false true.
Marriage is a perennial institution, with deep roots in who we are and in our nation’s culture and laws. Marriage is and always will be the union between one man and one woman. This truth is inseparable from the duty to honor the God-given dignity of every human person, to protect the beautiful truth of marriage, which concerns the essential well-being of the nation, especially children. Children have a basic right, wherever possible, to know and be loved by their mother and father together. The law has a duty to support every child in this most basic right.
With renewed purpose, we call upon all people of good will to promote and defend marriage as the union of one man and one woman for life. The redefinition of legal marriage to include any other type of relationship has serious consequences, especially for religious freedom.
Our Church will continue its efforts to support public policy issues, including a version of the marriage and religious freedom act, which would prohibit the government from discriminating against those who act in accordance with a religious belief or moral conviction that marriage is the union between a man and woman.
I encourage the faithful of the Archdiocese to move forward with faith, hope, and love: faith in the unchanging truth about marriage, hope that these truths will once again prevail in our society, and love for all our neighbors. Together, we must increase our efforts to strengthen marriages and families and rebuild a marriage culture. And, we shall continue to reach out with love and support to all people, including those who experience same-sex attraction knowing that all people are loved by God and are called to love Him.
http://thecatholicbeat.sacredheartradio.com/2015/06/26/schnurr-ruling-deeply-disappointing-and-worrisome/
Archbishop Dennis Schnurr, Cincinnati:
Under the false banner of ‘marriage equality,’ the United State Supreme Court today redefined marriage by judicial fiat. In so doing, it has disregarded not only the clearly expressed will of the electorate in Ohio and other states, but also an understanding of marriage that was shared by virtually all cultures – secular as well as religious – until recently.
Every nation has laws limiting who and under what circumstances people can be married. This is because lawmakers have always understood that marriage does not exist just for the mutual satisfaction of the two people involved but for the betterment of society. Traditional marriage is the cradle of the family, the basic building block of society. As Pope Francis has reminded us, every child has a right to be raised by two parents, a father and a mother. Both parents are important, and they are not interchangeable. The sad reality that so many children are deprived of this right because of the crisis in traditional marriage does not make it any less important. It is deeply disappointing and worrisome that our courts do not understand this.
Although the decision is disappointing, it is undeniable that families headed by same-sex couples are growing in number and visibility. These families deserve everyone’s love, respect, compassion, sensitivity and, where appropriate, pastoral care from the Church.
http://www.richmonddiocese.org/sites/default/files/files/VA%20Bishops%27%20Statement%20on%20Supreme%20Court%20Marriage%20Decision%201.pdf
Link to the joint statement by the Bishops of Arlington and Richmond.
Hi Father,
I’ve compiled a directory of all of the statements from Latin Rite ordinaries that I can find…so far 133/178 (75%). They’re all in one document and easy to compare (the only drawback is the length…). Of course, links are provided.
Hope this link works:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7r3q6nn6e6xwqgr/US%20Bishops%27%20Statements%20on%206.26%20SCOTUS%20ruling.pdf?dl=0
His Excellency, The Most Reverend J. Terry Steib, S.V.D., D.D., Bishop of Memphis:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Catholic-Diocese-of-Memphis-in-Tennessee/193095594058352?fref=nf
Bishop Steib responds to SCOTUS ruling on same-sex marriage
On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States defined anew the nature of a civil marriage in our country by declaring that two persons of the same sex have a constitutional right to contract a marriage with each other. This decision arose from the court’s insistence that the equal rights of all citizens be protected, including and in particular, those who identify themselves as persons with same-sex attraction.
From the start Catholics must be clear that this redefinition of civil marriage has no bearing whatsoever on a marriage conducted in the Catholic Church in which, according to our faith, the marital and conjugal union of one man and one woman takes on ultimate religious significance for us in both the church and the wider world.
When two people who want to be married seek the official sanction and blessing of the church, they are asking that their union be conformed according to the Word of God as understood and proclaimed by Christian churches throughout the world. This understanding holds marriage as unique among all other human relationships insofar as it involves a permanent and unconditional self-gift of each person to the other rooted in and shaped by the complementarity of a man and a woman. This is our faith. As such, marriage involves a sacred covenant which can never be a private matter simply between couple, much less constituted or defined by civil authority alone; rather it involves a communion with God in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. (SC-26, LG-11, GS-48-50)
While remaining firmly committed to this understanding of the marriage covenant in all its complexity and spiritual depth, we cannot ignore the struggles of persons with same-sex attraction. While the decision of the Supreme Court gravely misses the mark, it is, nonetheless, a response to something very real in the lived experience of gay and lesbian persons in our country. This struggle cannot be pushed aside as merely beside the point.
As Catholics, we must continue to affirm the deep and enduring concern of the Catholic Church for the dignity of persons with same-sex attraction and be consistent with what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: “[Persons with same sex-attraction] must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.” (n. 2358) Respect, compassion and sensitivity are not intended by the church to remain theoretical and lofty ideas that are never made real in the concrete circumstances of the everyday life. On the contrary, by their nature, interior dispositions of the human heart can only be considered real if they are lived out practically by respecting others and showing compassion and sensitivity.
Promulgated 50 years ago, the church’s great Constitution on the Church in the Modern World advances that modern thought and science would bring both great blessings and great struggles to the human family and to the church that stands as a sign of humanity’s communion with each other and with God. (LG-1; GS-5-8) This document points out that, with enormous advances, an initial period of confusion will likely arise especially as new understandings are integrated with enduring values, long-held convictions, and profound spiritual realities that transcend scientific research while never completely divorced from it. But, the document also held that this integration can never supersede the deepest truths which God has revealed to us in love. (GS-1-10)
In the light of all this, we must look on the present situation and all men and women, families and communities with great reverence, as we follow ultimately the path of our Savior who said that we are all children of the one God who is love. In the face of the Supreme Court’s decision, how do we choose to respond? Do we choose to fight and express our disdain for those we disagree with us? Instead, let us choose to celebrate and proclaim in love the truth of what we believe and teach as founded on the Scriptures and long-standing tradition of the Catholic Church.
Diocese of Las Vegas
Bishop Joseph Pepe
http://dioceseoflasvegas.org/Home.shtml
My Dear Parishioners,
This past week the United States Supreme Court ruled that the historic definition of marriage as a relationship between one man and one woman is insignificant.
The Catholic Church, along with other faith traditions, teaches that the nature of marriage and the family cannot be redefined by society, as God is the author of marriage and its corresponding gift of co-creating human life. The legal recognition of marriage is not only about personal commitment but also about the social commitment that husband and wife make to the well-being of their children. It is for this reason that it is important that we urge government to continue to give a unique status to marriage between one man and one woman both in law and in public policy.
We as Catholics will continue to honor and embody the uniqueness of marriage between one man and one woman as a gift from God–in our teaching, our sacramental life and our witness to the world. We will do so in a manner which profoundly respects at every moment the loving and familial relationships which enrich the lives of so many gay men and women who are our sons and daughters, our sisters and brothers, and ultimately our fellow pilgrims on this earthly journey of life. And commanded by the Gospel of Jesus Christ we will continue to reach out to families of every kind who are encountering poverty, addictions, violence, emotional stress or the threat of deportation, and to attempt to bring them faith and care, service and solidarity.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Joseph A. Pepe, D.D., J.C.D.
Bishop of Las Vegas
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