The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement in response to the Supreme Court’s recent 5-4 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges legalizing same-sex marriage. It reads, in part:
“The unique meaning of marriage as the union of one man and one woman is inscribed in our bodies as male and female. … Mandating marriage redefinition across the country is a tragic error that harms the common good and most vulnerable among us, especially children. The law has a duty to support every child’s basic right to be raised, where possible, by his or her married mother and father in a stable home.”
Marriage is based on natural law and the complementarity of the sexes. As the bishops state, the Supreme Court did not change and cannot change the intrinsic nature of what constitutes a marriage, namely, the union of one man and one woman.
The Supreme Court’s ruling is going to have far-reaching ramifications, which may take some time to be realized, including effects on the religious liberty and conscience rights of those who object to a redefinition of marriage. We must continue to endeavor to stand up for the truth unashamedly but also with prudence and with love.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, “(Homosexual persons) must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity.” –Paragraph 2358
The challenges against the Supreme Court’s decision can come from several different perspectives: legal, social, moral, and religious. However, no matter the lens through which one is looking, the people with whom one disagrees must be approached with sensitivity, humility, compassion, and with truth.
The Catholic Church teaches that homosexual persons, like heterosexual persons, are called to chastity, which, depending on one’s vocation and/or state in life, might include but is more than just sexual abstinence.
Many people have a false notion of what the Catholic Church and Christianity teach about homosexuality. Sadly, many homosexual persons have also experienced misunderstanding, thoughtless unkindness, or downright cruelty from those who claim to be Christians. The following is a video, “The Third Way,” which not only explains in a more in-depth fashion the Church’s actual teaching on homosexuality, but also tells the moving personal stories of people who experience same-sex attraction and have found fulfillment and belonging in the Catholic Church. It is approximately 35 minutes long, but I encourage watching it until the end. It will be worth your while and will give a better explanation of these important topics than I am equipped to do.
May we all continue to strive to stand up for the truth about marriage and family as well as show love to those with whom we disagree!
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