Another Opportunity to Speak Out

This past week, the Illinois legislature passed Senate Bill 1716, in which it legalized civil unions and explicitly granted these unions the same status as marriage in state law.

This is yet another opportunity for all Catholics, and indeed for all Christians, Jews and Muslims to speak out in defense of marriage as a relationship only possible between a man and a woman. This reality is a truth self-evident in the natural course of human nature and explicitly declared by God as his will and his Law.

Those of us in Minnesota, beware…… there will be a major effort here to legalize same-sex “marriage” in the upcoming legislative session. Our bishops have launched an initiative to  preserve marriage in this state. Do not think you can be silent on this matter. Speak out. Do not be misled by arguments that same-sex “marriage” is a civil right. If it were, then one could argue that legal recognition as “marriage” should extend to other forms of relationships, such as parent-child, or one-man several women arrangements. Once we cross a barrier that human nature itself demands, we enter disorder.

This is also a call to look at our society and ask, “Where are we, as a community of men and women, heading? Is our social fabric being woven more closely together, stronger and healthier, or is it unraveling?” The breakdown of family is self-evident to anyone willing to accept what is seen and heard. Culture is eroding. Does anyone wonder why and when it really began to do so? Look to Roe v. Wade as the watershed.

The Catholic Conference of Illinois put out a statement on the passage of Senate Bill 1716. Take a look at it: Catholic Conference of Ilinois.