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Supreme Court Decisions -- Faith, and Family
The, decisions of the US Supreme Court of June 26, 2013, concerning marriage, are widely understood to support and advance a redefinition of marriage to include same-sex unions.
Women for Faith & Family’s Affirmation for Catholic Women clearly states our commitment to uphold Church teachings on marriage:
4. We accept and affirm the teaching of the Catholic Church on all matters dealing with human reproduction, marriage, family life and roles for men and women in the Church and in society. http://www.wf-f.org/EngAff.html
The Supreme Court rendered its decisions affecting marriage by a single vote (5-4) on two cases: 1) The Court declined to rule on California’s “Proposition 8”; and 2) The Court nullified one segment of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), thus legalizing Federal marriage benefits for same-sex couples who are legally married in states where this is permitted. (This ruling will have no effect on the vast majority of states that uphold conjugal marriage.)
The complexity of the Court’s rationale in rendering its opinions, and their effect, leaves the full legal implications of these decisions unclear. However, what is clear is that the attitude towards conjugal marriage, linked to children and families, has been further undermined by a bare majority vote of the nation’s highest Court.
We urge all Catholics to inform themselves as thoroughly as possible about the Court’s actions, and what this implies for the future. For this purpose we strongly recommend the following statement by the US Bishops, and commentary by Catholic law professors and legal experts:
• Statement of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: http://www.usccb.org/news/2013/13-126.cfm
• The Supreme Court, You and Me, and the Future of Marriage (Sherif Girgis, Ryan Anderson, Robert P. George: http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2013/06/10455/
• Great Expectations, (Gerard Bradley) http://www.scotusblog.com/2013/06/great-expectations/
• Taking Sides on the Meaning of Marriage (Helen Alvare) http://www.scotusblog.com/2013/06/taking-sides-on-the-meaning-of-marriage/
(We will update this list.)
Especially during this Year of Faith, and this Fortnight for Freedom, we ask that you please pray with us — for our nation, for her government leaders, for our Church leaders, and for all citizens of the United States — that the Holy Spirit will grant wisdom and understanding, courage and strength, to uphold the truth “in season and out of season”, despite the challenges we may face.
Helen Hull Hitchcock
President, Women for Faith & Family
