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Bishops reiterate Catholic teaching about sanctity of marriage, rights of children, and dignity of all people

CHARLOTTE — North Carolina's Catholic bishops, the Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis of Charlotte and the Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge of Raleigh, are criticizing a statement recently made by President Barack Obama against the upcoming statewide ballot to protect marriage.

The May 8 vote would constitutionally protect traditional marriage by defining it as exclusively the union between one man and one woman – shielding marriage from being redefined through judicial attack or shifting political trends. North Carolina already protects marriage in state law, but is the only Southern state that does not also include the same protection in its constitution. Notably, 30 states have such constitutional protection of marriage.

Obama made his remarks March 16 in a statement issued by his re-election campaign.

"While the president does not weigh in on every single ballot measure in every state, the record is clear that the president has long opposed divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to same-sex couples," said Cameron French, the Obama campaign's N.C. spokesman. "That's what the North Carolina ballot initiative would do – it would single out and discriminate against committed gay and lesbian couples – and that's why the president does not support it."

In a letter issued March 21 through their public policy arm, Catholic Voice NC, the bishops called Obama's remarks "a grave disappointment," adding that Obama's unusual move to insert himself into a state's ballot initiative is a politically-motivated act that is "further escalating the increasing confusion on the part of some in our society to the very nature of marriage itself."

The bishops also rejected Obama's claim that the marriage amendment unfairly discriminates against people with same-sex attraction, and they reiterated Catholic teaching to uphold and protect the dignity of all human beings.

"As Cardinal Timothy Dolan, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, recently stated, 'The Catholic Church recognizes the immeasurable personal dignity and equal worth of all individuals, including those with same-sex attraction, and we reject all hatred and unjust treatment against any person. Our profound regard for marriage as the complementary and fruitful union of a man and a woman does not negate our concern for the well-being of all people, but reinforces it. While all persons merit our full respect, no other relationships provide for the common good what marriage between husband and wife provides.'"

They also reiterated Catholic teaching that the sacrament of marriage "is a vocation in which God calls couples to faithfully and permanently embrace a fruitful union in a mutual self-giving bond of love, according to His purposes. It is not only the union itself that is essential to these purposes, but also the life to which spouses are called to be open, the gift of children."

And they pointed out that in all of the discussion about people's rights, the rights of children – their right to grow up with both a mother and a father, as well as to understand the "proper place" of human sexuality – must be at the forefront of this discussion.

"Children have the right to the indispensable place of fatherhood and motherhood in their lives as they grow, are loved, nurtured and formed by those whose unique vocation it is to be a father and a mother through the bond of one man and one woman in marriage. As our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has stated, children have the fundamental right to grow up with the understanding of the proper place of sexuality in human relationships. He recently emphasized that 'Children are the greatest treasure and the future of every society: truly caring for them means recognizing our responsibility to teach, defend and live the moral virtues which are the key to human fulfillment.'"

The bishops are encouraging Catholics to go out May 8 and vote for marriage.

The May 8 ballot reads: "Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State."

The bishops have also launched a series of videos on YouTube explaining Church teaching about the sacrament of marriage. View the video series.

For more information about the ballot initiative, go to www.catholicvoicenc.org.

— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor

Here is the full text of the bishops' letter:

March 21, 2012

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Last week, President Barack Obama took the unusual step of commenting on a state ballot initiative. His stated opposition to the referendum on the marriage amendment in North Carolina is a grave disappointment, as it is reported to be the first time that the President has entered into this issue on the state level, further escalating the increasing confusion on the part of some in our society to the very nature of marriage itself.

As Catholics, we are FOR marriage, as we believe it is a vocation in which God calls couples to faithfully and permanently embrace a fruitful union in a mutual self-giving bond of love, according to His purposes. It is not only the union itself that is essential to these purposes, but also the life to which spouses are called to be open, the gift of children. Children have the right to the indispensable place of fatherhood and motherhood in their lives as they grow, are loved, nurtured and formed by those whose unique vocation it is to be a father and a mother through the bond of one man and one woman in marriage. As our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has stated, children have the fundamental right to grow up with the understanding of the proper place of sexuality in human relationships. He recently emphasized that "Children are the greatest treasure and the future of every society: truly caring for them means recognizing our responsibility to teach, defend and live the moral virtues which are the key to human fulfillment."

In his comments on the upcoming referendum in our State, the President regrettably characterized the marriage amendment as a matter of discrimination. While we are respectful of the Office of the President, we strongly disagree with this assessment. As Cardinal Timothy Dolan, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, recently stated, "The Catholic Church recognizes the immeasurable personal dignity and equal worth of all individuals, including those with same-sex attraction, and we reject all hatred and unjust treatment against any person. Our profound regard for marriage, as the complementary and fruitful union of a man and a woman does not negate our concern for the well-being of all people, but reinforces it. While all persons merit our full respect, no other relationships provide for the common good what marriage between husband and wife provides."

Join us in our support FOR the sacred vocation of marriage and what it means for us and for the future of our great State. We urge you to visit our Catholic Voice NC website for more information and to vote FOR the referendum on May 8th.

Sincerely in Christ,

The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge

Bishop of Raleigh

The Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis

Bishop of Charlotte