Archbishop compares gay marriage to abortion on eve of Roe v. Wade

November 17, 2010

Addressing his brother bishops on November 15, Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, chairman of the US bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage, compared the legal climate surrounding same-sex marriage today to the climate surrounding abortion on the eve of Roe v. Wade.

“In our nation we find ourselves at a moment of great opportunity but also great consequence,” he said. “The urgency of our priority to promote, protect and strengthen marriage has not abated.”

“So, in a sense, today is like 1970 for marriage,” he added. “If, in 1970, you knew that Roe v. Wade were coming in two or three years, what would you have done differently?”

The day following his remarks, Archbishop Kurtz was elected vice president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

 

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Further information:

• Archbishop Kurtz: A 'Roe Moment' for Marriage? (CNS)
• Striking Down Prop. 8 Would Have 'Roe V. Wade' Impact, Archbishop Kurtz Says (CNA/ETWN News)