By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
The newly elected vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) says that if the courts strike down Proposition 8, a voter-approved constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage in California, the cultural impact on marriage will be “akin to Roe v. Wade.”
CNA/EWTN News is reporting that Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky gave an address during the USCCB’s annual conference in Baltimore this week, saying that if Proposition 8 is struck down, “the decision will have a moral, legal and cultural impact” similar to the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion.
“In our nation we find ourselves at a moment of great opportunity but also great consequence,” he said, referring to the California battle that many expect will reach the Supreme Court. “So, in a sense, today is like 1970 for marriage. If, in 1970, you knew that Roe v. Wade were coming in two or three years, what would you have done differently?”
“And so now, the vital question that stands before all of us in this country is: What will we do for marriage?”
He suggested that they recall the advice Pope Benedict gave during his 2008 trip to the U.S. when he summoned bishiops “to remember our duty as bishops” and to “boldly proclaim and uphold the institution of marriage – defined as between one man and one woman.”
He proceeded to outline the work that was done during his tenure as Chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage and Family Life in which the Committee joined forces with the Knights of Columbus to produce a new program called “Marriage: Unique for a reason.”
He urged his fellow bishops to stand firm for marriage, assuring them that their efforts are making a difference.
“Even recent polling indicates this difference, as those who go to church every Sunday are more likely to support the true meaning of marriage,” he said.
“And this support has remained steady, despite the challenges of our culture.”
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