Posted on 04/10/2006 8:22:20 PM PDT by Coleus
WASHINGTON (April 3, 2006)Bishop William S. Skylstad, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has written to all Catholic Bishops asking that the bishops and the people in their dioceses become involved in the effort to support a federal constitutional marriage amendment. In the letter, Bishop Skylstad also informed the Bishops that the Knights of Columbus have initiated a national postcard campaign with respect to public advocacy for the Protection of Marriage Amendment. Today there is a growing sense shared by many people, including a wide range of religious leaders, that a Marriage Protection Amendment is the only federal-level action that ultimately will protect and preserve the institution of marriage, Bishop Skylstad said. In particular, timely and focused efforts are needed to help the Catholic faithful form their consciences on such an important matter.
Noting he was writing at the request of the USCCB Administrative Committee, Bishop Skylstad said: In a matter of months we will have the opportunity once again to stand publicly in support of marriage as the God-given union of a man and a woman. He was referring to the likelihood that the Protection of Marriage Amendment (S. J. Res. 1) will be introduced in the Senate in June. The proposed text of the amendment reads as follows:
Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman. I am aware that the time is short for taking action so I urge you to do whatever you can, given the situation and the resources available to you, Bishop Skylstad wrote. I am also aware that in some states there are upcoming votes for either legislation or constitutional amendments defining marriage. We are challenged, therefore, to give attention to the interplay of state and federal level policy as well as to focus our efforts where they are most needed and can do the most good.
Married love is a gift of God to humankind and to his Church, Bishop Skylstad said. It needs to be promoted, preserved, and protected now and for the future. Indeed, in his first encyclical letter, Deus caritas est, Pope Benedict XVI places the highest value on love between a man and a woman where body and soul are inseparably joined and human beings glimpse an apparently irresistible promise of happiness.
Sharing this conviction, I reiterate the importance of leadership by the bishops individually and as a Conference for the support of marriage and for its protection in society, Bishop Skylstad said. In the letter, the Bishop recalled that an attempt was made to pass a Federal Marriage Amendment two years ago. The USCCB expressed support for an amendment in a policy statement of the Administrative Committee (September 2003) entitled Promote, Preserve, Protect Marriage, and in subsequent letters from the Conference president to members of Congress. The Conference also submitted testimony to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. In November 2003 the full body of bishops approved and published an educational statement entitled Between Man and Woman: Questions and Answers about Marriage and Same-Sex Unions. In addition to emphasizing the value of marriage, the two statements also call attention to church teaching about respecting the dignity and rights of homosexual persons.
Bishop Skylstad told the bishops that the Knights of Columbus have offered to extend their campaign to every diocese and parish in the country, thus increasing its impact and effectiveness. The Knights will distribute the postcards through their system of state, district, and local councils in April and May. On March 14, 2006, the USCCB Administrative Committee formally and unanimously reaffirmed its position of support for the amendment as expressed in Promote, Preserve, Protect Marriage; endorsed again a two-fold strategy of education and advocacy concerning the amendment; and requested that Bishop Skylstad communicate with all the bishops concerning the reaffirmation, the strategy, and its implementation. Note: Conference statements on the amendment are available on the USCCB Publishing Website at: http://www.usccbpublishing.org/client/client_pages/bulletininserts.cfm.
Knights Work with Bishops to Defend Marriage |
Knights Printing 10 Million Post Cards Urging Senators to Back Amendment | |
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Knights of Columbus are joining forces to encourage Catholics throughout the United States to write their U.S. senators urging a vote in favor of the Marriage Protection Amendment (Senate Joint Resolution 1). The amendment will be presented for a vote by the full Senate during the first week of June. The act would amend the U.S. Constitution to provide that "Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman." The Knights of Columbus will be distributing 10 million post cards during April and May for distribution in parishes throughout the United States. Bishop William Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has sent a letter to all bishops in the United States, informing them of the Knights of Columbus post card campaign. The letter asks bishops to encourage local pastors to cooperate in the campaign when they are contacted by local Knights. District deputies will soon each receive 3,000 post cards for distribution to local Knights. State deputies will also shortly receive a supply of cards for distribution at state conventions and to supplement the quantities distributed through district deputies. This is a major project of the Knights of Columbus, and all councils and assemblies are asked to make it a high priority during the next two months. At the 123rd annual Supreme Council meeting held in Chicago last August delegates adopted a resolution strongly supporting the amendment and pledging to work with bishops to support adding the amendment to the Constitution. |
The Marriage Protection Amendment -- Online Resources | |
Senate Votes on June 6 click here to send letter and sign petition
post cards for Knights of Columbus, churches and all individuals
Knights of Columbus Letter to 239,000 Canadian Members says Vote Pro-life and Pro-family
I agree that this is an issue that will need to be settled by Constitutional Amendment but I think an even MORE pressing amendment would one to protect the sanctity of life.
One that restricts abortion, euthenasia, human cloning, fetal tissue research, and genetic testing as a means for discrimination in employment & insurance.
DirtyHarry is off duty for a while so DBeers is doing the homosexual agenda list and wagglebee the moral absolutes, with a little overlap here and there.
Good news!
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Where is the great Cardinal Mahony on this issue?
I guess he is too busy getting ready to be the leader of the illegals!
Cardinal Mahony is full of baloney. I bet that he and 50% of the other liberal bishops won't touch this issue and will NOT participate in this campaign.
Please FReepmail me if you'd like to be added to or removed from the KofC ping list.
"I bet that he and 50% of the other liberal bishops won't touch this issue and will NOT participate in this campaign."
A question for any Knights in attendance. My understanding is that KoC is essentially an independent Catholic organization. Hence, would be free to pursue this campaign notwithstanding.
Ahh...but don't forget that we do have an vow to support (and defend) our clergy and our Church. This would be a nice "legal" issue for the Supreme Advocate (along the lines of a 'supreme judge advocate general' for our non-KofC readers) to get involved in defining.
"Ahh...but don't forget that we do have an vow to support (and defend) our clergy and our Church. This would be a nice "legal" issue for the Supreme Advocate (along the lines of a 'supreme judge advocate general' for our non-KofC readers) to get involved in defining."
Which would be complicated by overlapping boundaries between various Eparchies and Diocese. Chaplain (Priest) "A" might be Roman Catholic while Chaplain "B" is of one of the eastern Catholic churches. The Bishop for Chaplain "A" has really no authority over Chaplain "B". There are certainly differences with regard to doctrinal focus out there.
It would seem that the best approach for KoC in any case would be to know the doctrines, know the catechisms, and be as faithful as possible to them.
Attended two churches this weekend. One handed out the postcards with the priest absoutely railing against homosexuality the other brought in a missionary as a guest speaker.
I'm surprised Skylstad has been so supportive. He's a real weak sister in a lot of ways and certainly did not handle his own diocese well (in another context, though). Maybe there's hope yet, before we end up like Spain, which has dropped the terms "mother" and "father" from birth certificates and now uses "Progenitor A" and "Progenitor B."
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