Cardinal Dolan laments Obama’s support for same-sex marriage
May 10, 2012
The president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued a statement lamenting President Barack Obama’s support for same-sex marriage.
“President Obama’s comments today in support of the redefinition of marriage are deeply saddening,” said Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York. “As I stated in my public letter to the President on September 20, 2011, the Catholic bishops stand ready to affirm every positive measure taken by the President and the Administration to strengthen marriage and the family. However, we cannot be silent in the face of words or actions that would undermine the institution of marriage, the very cornerstone of our society.”
Cardinal Dolan added:
The people of this country, especially our children, deserve better. Unfortunately, President Obama’s words today are not surprising since they follow upon various actions already taken by his Administration that erode or ignore the unique meaning of marriage. I pray for the President every day, and will continue to pray that he and his Administration act justly to uphold and protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman. May we all work to promote and protect marriage and by so doing serve the true good of all persons.
In announcing his support for same-sex marriage, President Obama, a member of the United Church of Christ, invoked his Christian faith. The denomination has formally supported same-sex marriage since 2005.
President Obama said:
[Michelle and I] are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others but, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it’s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated. And I think that’s what we try to impart to our kids and that’s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I’ll be as a dad and a husband and hopefully the better I’ll be as president
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Further information:
- Cardinal Dolan: President Obama's Remarks on Marriage 'Deeply Saddening' (USCCB)
- Obama: Christ and the Golden Rule informed support of same-sex marriage (Washington Post)
- President Obama announces support for same-sex marriage (CWN, 5/9)
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Posted by: unum -
May. 11, 2012 8:29 AM ET USA
I think President Obama is thinking of another "Golden Rule" when he advocates a path for society contrary to God's teaching in Scripture. Like most politicians, he believes that, "He who has the gold rules!"
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Posted by: bkmajer3729 -
May. 10, 2012 11:25 PM ET USA
Wow! Father Elijah! Michael O'Brien hit the nail on the head. Pray people, please pray along with the Archbishop.
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Posted by: impossible -
May. 10, 2012 10:28 PM ET USA
Lamenting, Cardinal Dolan? Another position about which Obama has neither evolved nor devolved is his 1000% support of abortion, even partial-birth abortion. How many of the 54% of Catholic voters that put him into office based their vote on the ambiguities and equivocations in the Faithful Citizenship document? Lament and repudiate that and issue an honest Voters Guide or simply endorse the guide published by Catholic Answers.
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Posted by: tasha1996 -
May. 10, 2012 7:35 PM ET USA
How about using the bishop's crosier to discipline Biden, Pelosi, and Cuomo? A good shepherd will seek his own straying sheep first.
