Archbishop Cordileone emphasizes that marriage cannot be redefined

November 08, 2012

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco, chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, has issued a statement following ballot victories for same-sex marriage.

“November 6 was a disappointing day for marriage, as the effort to preserve the unique meaning of marriage in the law lost by only a narrow margin in four states, even though vastly outspent by those who promote the redefinition of marriage,” he said.

“The meaning of marriage, though, cannot be redefined because it lies within our very nature,” he continued. “No matter what policy, law or judicial decision is put into place, marriage is the only institution that unites a man and a woman to each other and to any children born of their union. It is either this, or it is nothing at all. In view of the fact that every child has a mother and a father, our society either respects the basic right of every child to be raised by his or her mother and father together and so supports the true and unique meaning of marriage for the good of children, or it does not.”

“In a society marked by increasing poverty and family fragmentation, marriage needs to be strengthened, promoted, and defended, not redefined,” he added. “I hope and pray that political leaders, judges, and all people will seek to honor this foundational and common sense truth of marriage.”

 

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Further information:

• Bishops’ Defense Of Marriage Chair Calls For Prayer, Renewed Culture Of Marriage (USCCB)
• Same-sex marriage gains ballot victories (CWN, 11/7)