Countering claims that the Catholic Church is "anti-gay," the bishops said that the Church "welcomes everyone" and gives them "the spiritual means necessary to convert to God's ways and maintain friendship with Christ." They pointed to the Chicago archdiocese's work through Courage groups and its ministry AGLO.
"People live out their sexual identity in different ways, but the Church offers the means to live chastely in all circumstances, as the love of God both obliges and makes possible," the cardinal said.
The bishops also made a point of saying the Church condemns all violence and hatred towards those with a homosexual orientation.
Looking at the "long term consequences" of redefining marriage, the bishops said that the law will regard those who distinguish between a "genuine marital union" and same-sex unions as "discriminatory" and "the equivalent of bigots."
"When the ways of nature and nature's God conflict with civil law, society is in danger. It is to that danger that we direct your attention," they stated.
Illinois' recognition of non-marital unions has already had consequences for Catholics and others in the state.
In 2010 the Illinois legislature passed a law recognizing same-sex and opposite-sex civil unions, which was sponsored by Rep. Harris. Although the legislation claimed to protect religious freedom, state officials used the law to end foster care and adoption placement service contracts with Catholic Charities throughout the state because the agencies would not place children with unmarried or homosexual couples.
The Catholic agencies had helped serve children for decades. The state contracts totaled over $30 million annually and helped care for about 2,000 foster children.
State officials said the agencies' policy of placing children only with married couples was discriminatory.
The Chicago bishops' letter encouraged Illinois residents to visit the Illinois Catholic Conference website at www.ilcatholic.org to learn more about the effort to redefine marriage.