Bishops SJC decision 'tragedy' (MA)

[Khephra]

By Jenna Russell, Globe Staff, 11/30/2003

The state's Catholic bishops are calling for church members to mobilize against the Supreme Judicial Court's ruling allowing gay marriage and demanding a strict definition of marriage in a letter being read at Catholic services across Massachusetts this weekend.

"We hope that all citizens will come to recognize what is at stake and work to ensure that marriage as the fundamental institution of society will be safeguarded," said the letter, which was signed by Boston Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley and the bishops of the three other Massachusetts dioceses, in Worcester, Fall River, and Springfield.

Their joint statement calls the court's decision earlier this month to allow gay marriage "a national tragedy," and declares the 180-day time frame for its implementation "a sure formula for chaos" that denies citizens a fair chance to respond. It asks Catholics to contact Governor Mitt Romney and legislators to ask for more time to deal with the issue.

"Every effort must be made to extend the stay beyond the 180 days mandated by the court," the bishops wrote. "Ultimately, we advocate a constitutional amendment that reaffirms marriage as the union between one man and one woman."

more............

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2003/11/30/bishops_sjc_decision_tragedy/

[Bob3]

1. i think the catholic chruch especially in New England has better things

to do with their time than fret about this -

[bvar22]

2. The Catholic Church is being selective and hypocritical.

If they are going to pursue this issue, then they need to pursue:

1) Death Penalty
2) The Pope condemned the invasion of Iraq...Lets see the Church follow through on this one!

[htuttle]

5. If they are going to start worrying about the abominations in Leviticus...

...they are going to be very busy condemning people!

I mean, women are wearing pants where ever you look, people are eating shellfish RIGHT ON THE STREET -- it's going to take some REAL OLD TESTAMENT CONDEMNING to straighten all this out!

Now, let's talk about that other book -- the one that says you should feed the poor and forgive your enemies...

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. What is all this about gays eroding the institution of marriage?

Marriage as an institution has been eroded by heteros for some time. When the number of out-of-wedlock children is on the rise, the number of divorces is up, it makes one wonder what the flap about gays is about. The gay couples I know have stable, loving relationships; some even have children which they are raising quite nicely, thank you. Aren't these two traits the hallmarks of marriage?

[lumpy]

10. Apparently the church doesn't consider

non-marriages that produce children as being of much significance. Their feeble arguments against gay marriage holds no water. The hypocrisy of the Catholic church and some Episcopal offshoots is glaring. In my attempt to get married to my 2nd husband in an Episcopal church ceremony was OK inspite of the fact it would be condoning adultery, a no no. No problem though, my minister said that they would consider my 1st marriage null and void and would considered it a non-marriage inspite of the fact a child was produced from that 1st marriage. I left the Episcopal church and never returned. After witnessing much hypocrisy during my lifetime membership in this church, I couldn't stomach anymore. This is how they get around the tenets of the Episcopal church. Similar under-the-table methods are used in the Roman Catholic church.

[ima_sinnic]

4. very "christian" of them

:(

[BayCityProgressive]

7. No one should really be surprised

The Catholic Hierarchy gives some nice populist rhetoric sometimes but they are really nothing more than an alliance of the Right. They deny women their most basic rights, hoard their money, attack gays, Try to destroy the wall between church and state, break the law to protect their own.."one law for them another for the rest", and they have aided some of the most evil dictators in human history. This is not to say many Catholics and Catholic groups don't help people in a positive way, because they do. I think however, the Hierarchy is beyond corrupt. With all this blubbering about gays, they could bring attention to AIDS and third world debt in Africa...they won't though because if they keep the natives stupid they keep control.

[TankLV]

6. End their tax-exempt status!

We should go on the offensive. Stop playing defense.

Go after what would hurt them the most.

End their tax exemptions!

Free speech comes with a price!

You can't have it both ways.

Either they stop threatening people and sticking their penises where they don't belong, or we end their special status as tax exempt organizations. Then then can politic all they want.

It's that simple.

[IndianaGreen]

8. I wish the bishops had used that energy to protect children from pedophile

I wish the bishops had used that energy to protect children from pedophile priests, and to compensate their victims, instead of covering up.

[realFedUp]

9. Must be fundraising season....

always look for the silver lining...