Parishes across the diocese have urged parishioners to defend marriage as the union of one man and one woman and have used a DVD sponsored by the New Jersey Catholic Conference (NJCC) to help make the case.
The 10-minute DVD, “One Man and One Woman: Marriage and the Common Good,” was produced by St. Max Worldwide, a Kansas production company, and was funded by the Knights of Columbus. The Knights’ grant allowed the NJCC to send a copy of the DVD to each parish in New Jersey.
The DVD features Dr. Robert George, professor of jurisprudence and director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, Maggie Gallagher, president of the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy, Damon Owens, social justice advocate and founder of Joy Filled Marriage NJ, Father Paul Check, CEO of Courage and a priest of the Diocese of Bridgeport, CT, Anthony Picarello, general counsel for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Robin F. Wilson, family law professor at Washington and Lee University.
In a letter to parishes last week, Bishop Joseph Galante asked pastors and administrators to air the video at Masses last weekend.
“Today marriage faces serious challenges, including the effort underway to change the very definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman in order to allow “same sex marriage,” seen most recently in the Connecticut Supreme Court decision earlier this month.
“As Catholics, we cannot stand silent with marriage in crisis. While we must offer prayerful support and pastoral care to strengthen existing marriages and help prepare couples properly for marriage through our marriage preparation programs, we cannot fail to speak out in defense of the vocation and sacrament of marriage as the union of one man and one woman,” he wrote.
In addition to showing the video at Masses, Bishop Galante encouraged parishes to include a bulletin announcements informing parishioners that they can view the DVD on-line and share it with others. It is posted on the diocesan website at www.464edee1fa.nxcli.io.
It was the second time in a month that Bishop Galante addressed the issue. In a letter to the Catholic people of the diocese published in the Oct. 2 Catholic Star Herald on Faithful Citizenship, Bishop pointed to the need to protect and promote marriage.
“We also have a responsibility to support and strengthen marriage that in essence is always between one man and one woman. Marriage is the foundation of the family. The family, in turn, is the basic unit of society. Marriage as the union of one man and one woman has its roots not only in human tradition and in history, but also in natural law, which transcends all man-made law. Because we believe marriage was established by the Creator with its own nature, essential properties and purpose, we likewise must oppose efforts that attempt to equate marriage with other arrangements,” he wrote.
On October 10, Connecticut became the third state after California and Massachusetts to permit “same-sex marriage.” In a 4-3 decision, the state Supreme Court declared that the state’s civil union law was discriminatory and unconstitutional because it established a separate and therefore inherently unequal institution for a minority group.
Meanwhile, voters in California on Nov. 4 will weigh-in on a number of ballot propositions that potentially would amend the state constitution to specify that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in the state. Opponents and supporters—in and out of state—are working vigorously to prevail on the question.
Two years ago, the New Jersey State Supreme Court ruled that legislators had to provide the rights and benefits of marriage to same-sex couples. In response to Court decision, the New Jersey State Legislature passed the New Jersey Civil Union Act, which took effect Feb. 19, 2007.
The Civil Union Act also created a 13-member Review Commission to study the Act, to evaluate its effectiveness and to determine whether to recommend additional protections. The commission is comprised of six ex-officio members and seven public members: one appointed by the Senate President, one by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and five by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.
The Commission, which issued a report in February saying the civil union legislation did not go far enough, has been roundly criticized by the New Jersey Catholic Conference and other supporters of traditional marriage as being stacked with advocates in favor of same sex marriage. Vice chair of the commission, Steven Goldstein, is head of Garden State Equality, the state’s largest homosexual advocacy organization.
At a September press conference at the statehouse, representatives of the New Jersey Catholic Conference and the New Jersey Family Policy Council defended the traditional understanding of marriage and said the Civil Union Review Commission was a failure because it was biased from the start in favor of same-sex marriage.
A month later over 2,500 defenders of a traditional understanding of marriage gathered Oct. 19 for a rally at the Capital steps in Trenton. Speakers included Len Deo, President of the New Jersey Family Policy Council; Pat Brannigan of the New Jersey Catholic Conference; Demetrios Stratis Esq., Alliance Defense Fund and the New Jersey Legal Resource Council; Rev. Clenard Childress, LEARN Life Education Action Resource Network; John Tomicki J.D., New Jersey Coalition to Preserve & Protect Marriage; Rev. Jose Lopez, President Hispanic Pastors Association Hudson Co.; Tom Ciborski, State Deputy, NJ Knights of Columbus; Bishop George Searight, CEFCA (Covenant Ecumenical Fellowship & Cathedral Assemblies); Gregory Quinlan, New Jersey Family First.
Dissatisfied with the state’s civil union act, Garden State Equality and other “same sex marriage” advocates have been pressing for support of the “Freedom of Religion and Equality in Civil Marriage Act” (S1967/A2978). The bill, introduced in the state senate and assembly last June, would allow same-sex couples in New Jersey to marry.
In an interview with the Catholic Star Herald, Pat Brannigan, executive director of the New Jersey Catholic Conference, said, “Given that the Church teaches that marriage is always between one man and one woman, we oppose the Equality in Civil Union Act. It also is unnecessary in this state, which already provides any and all benefits of marriage to couples in civil unions.”
Brannigan said J. Frank Vespa-Papaleo, Esq. chair of the New Jersey Civil Union Review Commission and director of New Jersey Division on Civil Rights confirmed recently that there had only been seven formal complaints made since the civil union law was enacted in February 2007.
“The fact is, the civil union law is not broken and is working quite well,” said Brannigan.
The DVD on marriage follows several other initiatives of the U.S. Bishops. Last February, the New Jersey Bishops designated February 17, 2008 as a Day of Prayer for the vocation and sacrament of marriage. At that time, parishes received a joint letter from the Catholic Bishops of New Jersey, a special marriage prayer and suggested prayer invocations for Mass. Priests were asked to read the letter at all Masses and to include it in their parish bulletins.
Last May, the Office of CESF and the Family Life Office of the diocese sponsored a daylong workshop for clergy focused on marriage as sacrament and the coming threats to marriage. Presenters included Maggie Gallagher, Anthony Piccarello, Esq. a
nd Bill Donaghy, theology teacher at Malvern Prep and Immaculata University. Other New Jersey dioceses conducted similar workshops last year.
Meanwhile, The U.S. bishops’ National Pastoral Initiative for Marriage, begun in 2004, has as its main purpose the strengthening of marriages. A major outreach of the Initiative has been a “For Your Marriage” campaign. The campaign includes public service messages and a special Web site (www.foryourmarriage.org) which offers information and help to engaged and married couples.