R E S O U R C E S
R E S O U R C E S
My main concern in this discussion of the marriage issue here in California is the “Yes, but…” crowd; that is, all those people who are happily married themselves and are church-goers, but who want to be “fair” or “nice” to others and naively ask, “What harm could it possibly do – if they love one another – if we let them change the traditional meaning of the term ‘marriage’ to include the union of two men or two women?"
Yes, those are the people we need to seek out and the people we need to help to understand the damage that they could be doing to the very idea of marriage, the family and the Church by failing to vote for the state constitutional amendment this coming November.
They can say, “It doesn’t effect my life; my marriage is okay.” Maybe so, but it certainly will effect the lives of our children in the years ahead as they look to find the true meaning of family, marriage and God’s plan for us. They have already been told that divorce is a seemingly easy solution to any marriage problem, that abortions can be obtained without parental knowledge or consent, and now are being told that marriage is merely a union of any two people who get along with each other, despite the obvious biological differences and scriptural objections. Imagine being in your children’s shoes and trying to figure out what is right!
The California bishops remind us of the important role that both mothers and fathers have in the raising of children.
In his book A Civilization of Love, Carl Anderson points out that John Paul II often remarked that he viewed the Christian family as “the primary point of encounter between the Church and culture … . [F]amily is – and will be – the chief witness of the active power of the love of God in the world.” At the close of Chapter 6 of that book, he suggests that we should “spend some time reflecting on the family you grew up in. What were the key values that you were raised with? How do you express these values in your life today?” I might add: And how do you defend these values today?
Pope Benedict XVI made the same challenge on his arrival in Australia in preparation for World Youth Day when he asked everyone to “reflect on the kind of world we are handing on to future generations.”
If ever there was an issue that calls for us to stand tall and lead the way among our parish brothers and sisters and the community at large, this is certainly one. Start now! Familiarize yourself with what the amendment is all about and encourage everyone to stand and be counted, especially that “Yes, but…” crowd.
The Southern Cross
This commentary first appeared in the August 2008 issue of The Southern Cross. It urged Catholics to rally behind Proposition 8, a ballot initiative that restored the traditional definition of marriage in California by amending the state constitution.