Preserving Marriage: The Union of One Man and One Woman
by Catholic Bishops of Maryland
The marriage covenant, by which a man and a woman form with each other an intimate communion of life and love, has been founded and endowed with its own special laws by the Creator. By its very nature it is ordered to the good of the couple, as well as to the generation and education of children. Christ the Lord raised Marriage between the baptized to the dignity of a sacrament. — Catechism of the Catholic Church
Maryland law acknowledges that marriage is the union of one man and one woman. But the law does not protect against activist judges who would overturn it, or against state legislators who would change it to give legal recognition to same-sex unions and endow such relationships with the status, rights and privileges of marriage. Two recent developments highlight this concern:
- There was a coordinated effort of same-sex couples applying for marriage licenses in various jurisdictions throughout Maryland. The licenses were denied and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) immediately filed suit on behalf of these couples.
- Lawmakers recently approved bills that are seen as stepping stones of a well-organized effort to recognize same-sex marriages in Maryland by progressively awarding marriage rights to same-sex couples. The Governor appropriately vetoed these bills, but the ACLU and gay-and-lesbian advocacy groups are working to convince lawmakers to override the veto when they return to Annapolis in January for their 2006 session.
Faced with these developments, it is clear that the preservation of marriage as the union of one man and one woman requires legislation (perhaps even an amendment to our state's constitution) that provides the strongest possible support for marriage and families. It also requires lawmakers dedicated to preserving traditional marriage. And so we come to you in this statement to enlist your support for the sanctity and societal significance of marriage, and to encourage your involvement in advocacy efforts to ensure the preservation of marriage in our state's public policy.
The marriage of one man and one woman is at the very core of our Church, our people and our teaching. Marriage is a natural, human institution that precedes any social or legal system; it is as old as humanity because it flows from the natural complementarity and sexual differentiation and attractions of man and woman. Complementarity means that differences between the sexes enable them to cooperate physically, psychologically and emotionally in the formation of a complete whole. The union of man and woman in a permanent and exclusive way has been part of the natural reality of life from the beginning.
If we look at marriage as something different from the union of one man and one woman, we essentially change the societal equation — we reject the rationale for marriage altogether, turning it into just one more alternative lifestyle, one more partnership option, one more contract. This falsely concedes that marriage and married couples do not make a unique contribution to the human community. Marriage is essential to the continuation of the human race and to the dignity, stability, peace, and prosperity of the family and society. Any attempt to redefine marriage in a way that includes same-sex relationships should be viewed as an assault on these inherent characteristics and an assault on the common good.
Increasingly, many elected leaders and other opinion makers have placed an exaggerated emphasis on individual preferences and conveniences and, to the detriment of society, have elevated these personal preferences to the level of rights and entitlements. Thus, the taking of innocent human life is regularly touted as the "right" of choice and, thus, the termination of a life considered no longer useful is frequently characterized as an exercise of the "right to die." Ours is a pluralistic society in which the Church is but one voice. We cannot force others to abide our teachings, but we have every right to proclaim these teachings in the marketplace of ideas and the forums of public opinion and public policy making. As we do so, we must not be intimidated by those who would wrongly characterize our defense of marriage or of the common good as mean-spirited, narrow-minded, or intolerant.
Scriptural Citations
In Genesis we are told, "God created man in his image; in the divine image He created him; male and female He created them" (Gen 1:27). We are made in God's image and likeness as men and women. Therefore both male and female are necessary to most fully image God. Genesis tells us that "a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body" (Gen 2:24).
When Jesus speaks of marriage, he does not quote the prophets or the law, but returns to the second chapter of Genesis for his authority. The union of a man and a woman is considered so representative of the divine image and will that it takes precedence over all social and legal accommodations: "Let man not separate what God has joined together" (Matt 19:6). Two men or two women cannot complete this image.
Only the union between one man and one woman can be "an intimate communion of life and love" and the complete image of God (Catechism of the Catholic Church).
The first decree of the Bible tells Adam and Eve and all married couples to "be fruitful and multiply" (Gen 1:28). This is only possible in the sexual union of one man and one woman. In the light of these revelations, the Church teaches that marriage and sex serve two purposes: (1) union, and (2) procreation.
Defining Marriage in Civil Law
Marriage has been part of every culture and tradition since the beginning of time. Throughout history, one man and one woman have been biologically necessary to create a family. Human physiology and the natural biological connection between heterosexual sex, procreation, and children prove that marriage is not simply a religious or social imposition, but rather a natural element of life that human beings discovered, much the same as we discovered other natural truths such as the existence of gravity. Marriage is between one man and one woman, and no government should falsely claim otherwise.
If the basic reality of marriage — that is only possible between one man and one woman — can simply be eliminated to appease one group of individuals, the government will not be able to justify upholding the other basic requirements for marriage when other groups come forward. Thus, prohibiting polygamous marriage, incestuous marriage, and possibly even marriage involving a minor will be considered bigoted and discriminatory. Is this what society wants? Does this elevate the state's moral fiber? Surely not.
One-man and one-woman marriage does not discriminate against any group of individuals. Marriage is available to every citizen subject to the same basic requirements: Partners in marriage must have attained the age of majority; they cannot be relatives of the first degree; neither of them can already be married; and they must be a man and a woman. Anyone who demands the right to marry outside of these requirements is demanding not equal rights, but additional rights.
Since marriage is the creation of neither the state nor the Church, neither the government nor the Church can redefine it. Maintaining marriage to be what we all know to be true — a union between one man and one woman — is part of our moral and civic duty. Catholics are called to uphold the sacred gift of marriage for the protection of families and all of society.
"Marriage is not just any old union between human persons, susceptible to being configured according to a plurality of cultural models," Pope John Paul II said in a speech on February 1, 2004, to the Roman Rota. "When the Church teaches that matrimony is a natural thing, it proposes a truth made plain by reason for the good of the couples and of society."
To Get Involved
Additional background on this matter is available on the web site of the Maryland Catholic Conference — www.mdcathcon.org. Visiting the web site will enable you (1) to identify the state lawmakers who represent your area, (2) to learn how they voted on bills that equate same-sex relationships with traditional marriage, (3) to directly thank those legislators who voted to support traditional marriage, and (4) to call to task those who did not, and to encourage them to get it right by voting in January to uphold Governor Ehrlich's vetoes.
For Further Study
From the Vatican at www.vatican.va:
- Second Vatican Council. Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes), nos. 47-52. 1965.
- Pope John Paul II. On the Family (Familiaris Consortio) 1982.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, Nos. 369-373, 1601-1666 and 2331-2400. 2000.
- Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons. 2003.
From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at www.usccb.org:
- Follow the Way of Love: A Pastoral Message of the U.S. Catholic Bishops to Families. 1993.
- Between Man and Woman: Questions and Answers About Marriage and Same-Sex Unions. 2003.
Citations from:
New American Bible
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Pastoral Statement on Marriage, Sexuality and Chastity;
Archdiocese of Baltimore,
William Cardinal Keeler, 2000
The Maryland Catholic Conference
188 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis, MD 21401
301-261-1979 410-269-1155
www.mdcathcon.org
This item 6700 digitally provided courtesy of CatholicCulture.org
