Florida Catholic Bishops: The Supreme Court got it wrong

The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops issued this statement:

“The Supreme Court has dealt a profound injustice to the American people by striking down in part the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)”, said the U.S. Bishops in a statement on today’s U.S. Supreme Court decisions on marriage. “The Court got it wrong. The federal government ought to respect the truth that marriage is the union of one man and one woman, even where states fail to do so. The preservation of liberty and justice requires that all laws, federal and state, respect the truth, including the truth about marriage. It is also unfortunate that the Court did not take the opportunity to uphold California’s Proposition 8 but instead decided not to rule on the matter.”

The U.S. Bishops also expressed, “Now that the Supreme Court has issued its decisions, with renewed purpose we call upon all of our leaders and the people of this good nation to stand steadfastly together in promoting and defending the unique meaning of marriage: one man, one woman, for life. We also ask for prayers as the Court’s decisions are reviewed and their implications further clarified.”

While the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions will have profound consequences on marriage and society as a whole, neither of today’s two rulings directly affect Article 1, Section 27 of Florida’s Constitution approved by 62% of voters in 2008, which defines marriage as the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife. In particular, the limited ruling on DOMA did not strike the portion of the law that protects states from being forced to recognize same-sex marriage, and the Prop 8 ruling is limited to California.

The Bishops of Florida will continue to uphold and defend the true nature and meaning of marriage as an exclusive, lifelong communion between a man and a woman. It is within this union of husband and wife that children are received and nurtured. The common good and the future of our society are best served by ensuring that a child’s right to a mother and a father, who bring unique gifts to the education and rearing of children, is protected.

ABOUT THE FLORIDA CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS

MISSION: Serve as liaison to state government on matters of concern to the Catholic Church in the seven dioceses of the Province of Miami, as a nonpartisan public policy voice on behalf of the Catholic Bishops of Florida.

VISION: The Gospel of Jesus Christ and the teachings of his Church guide the work of the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops which, through relationships with representatives and agencies of Florida government, analyzes the moral dimension of public policies, proclaims the sanctity of life and dignity of the human person, leads decision makers in reaching just solutions, and provides opportunities for Catholics in Florida to carry out their responsibility to participate in political life.