Washington D.C., Jul 13, 2010 / 17:32 pm
After a federal judge in Massachusetts rejected a congressional act that recognized marriage as being between one man and one woman, the U.S. bishops' chairman for the Defense of Marriage responded by emphasizing that the state does not have the authority to redefine the vital institution, since marriage existed before the state.
“On behalf of the bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage,” Archbishop Joseph Kurtz began, “I express grave concern over these dangerous and disappointing rulings which ignore even the most apparent purposes of marriage and thus offend true justice.”
The archbishop, who is chairman of the committee, responded on July 12 to two July 8 rulings which held that section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. Section 3 states that for purposes of federal laws, regulations and rulings, “the word 'marriage' means only a legal union between one man and one woman.”
“Marriage – the union of one man and one woman – is a unique, irreplaceable institution. The very fabric of our society depends upon it,” said Archbishop Kurtz. “Nothing compares to the exclusive and permanent union of husband and wife. The state has a duty to employ the civil law to reinforce – and, indeed, to privilege uniquely – this vital institution of civil society.”