Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone released this statement in response to the US Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage:
“Our Catholic faith upholds the dignity of every human person, including persons with same-sex attraction. At the same time, the Church sustains that marriage is a sacrament instituted by God, not by man or by institution, and can only be between one man and one woman. This teaching is not a judgment about persons who experience same-sex attraction, but a statement about how the Church has always understood the nature of marriage itself.
“It was disappointing to hear the Supreme Court’s ruling; however, its decision does not change the fact that the Roman Catholic Church has consistently taught and will continue to teach that marriage is a sacrament. It is a covenant of love between one man and one woman which bonds them for life and to any children that comes from the union.
“Every Supreme Court decision is limited in what it can achieve; again, this decision is no exception. It does not change the biological differences between male and female human beings or the requirements for the generation of human life, which still requires the participation of both. In addition, this decision of the court does not dispense us from the responsibility of civility and respect due every human being, whether a person agrees or disagrees with the decision. Nor is it a license for the use of venomous language or vile behavior against those whose opinions differ from our own. This decision confers a civil entitlement to some people who could not claim it before. It does not resolve the moral debate that preceded it and will most certainly continue in its wake. This decision has made my task as the pastor of this local diocesan church more complex as I continue to uphold the teachings of my Church on the Sacrament of Matrimony and the equal transcendent dignity of every human person.”
CNS photo/Jonathan Ernst, Reuters: A general view of the U.S. Supreme Court building at sunrise is seen in Washington Oct. 5, 2014
