The Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a statement today that addresses the question of same-sex marriage. Commenting on it is Catholic League president William Donohue:
“In one sense, what the Vatican did today is nothing new. For two thousand years, the Catholic Church has maintained that marriage is an institution reserved only for men and women. Indeed, there is no world religion—in either Eastern or Western civilization—that sanctions marriage between people of the same sex. But because of an aggressive gay-rights movement that seeks to normalize homosexual unions, the Vatican decided the time was ripe to issue a reality check to Catholics.
“The media are already spinning this as ‘an anti-gay campaign.’ It is not. ‘Moral conscience requires that, in every occasion,’ the document says, ‘Christians give witness to the whole moral truth, which is contradicted both by approval of homosexual acts and unjust discrimination against homosexual persons.’ In short, the Catholic Church opposes attempts to deprive heterosexual marriage of its privileged status, as well as gay bashing.
“Marriage and the family are the constitutive elements of society. Given their unique status, any effort that seeks to put alternative lifestyles on an equal plane must be resisted. This would include giving societal and state sanction to heterosexuals who practice cohabitation. Ditto for gays.
“The Catholic League is particularly delighted that this strong statement in favor of marriage, as it has been traditionally understood all over the world and throughout all of time, comes in the wake of the sex abuse scandal in the Church. It sends an unmistakable message that just because a tiny few in the priesthood have embarrassed the Church by having sex—mostly with men!—this does not mean that the Church will silence its voice on matters sexual.
“The Vatican’s statement is particularly aimed at Catholic politicians. We hope they get the message.”
