A recent interview posted at NCRegister.com received quite a bit of attention, particularly from people identifying themselves in online comments as homosexual.
The interview was with Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, R.I., in which the bishop offered his thoughts on a controversy in his state over same-sex civil unions. Bishop Tobin’s fear is that settling for this compromise with same-sex “marriage” will leave the door open for that very thing: same-sex “marriage.”
One of the criticisms of the Register’s presentation of this interview, aside from the substance of Bishop Tobin’s argument, was this newspaper’s practice of placing quotation marks around “marriage” when referring to homosexual “marriage.”
“Your use of quote marks around marriage is demeaning and cruel,” one reader wrote.
It’s a point of style, but our reason for doing so is not to demean or offend anyone. It is very much tied in with what the Church teaches — that marriage can exist only between two people of the opposite sex, two people who know what they are doing and who freely give their consent to a life (a complete one) with only that person.
Many of the readers commenting on this interview believe that this can take place between two persons of the same sex. They insist that the love two persons feel for one another allows this.
“Regardless of the labels you want to stamp on our forehead, we still are instilled with God’s greatest gift to man — the ability to love one another,” a reader commented. “The kind of passionate love that ‘straight’ people have, believe it or not, can be found in numerous gay couples. And the ultimate message that gays want to have marriage for is the same that straight people get married for: ‘I love the soul that’s within this human being so much that I want to be with him/her for the rest of my life.’”
Noble sentiments. But love is not merely a feeling, no matter how strong and constant. Love is a decision — a decision to work for the good of the other. And the ultimate good is the salvation of that person’s soul.
Two men who “love” each other or two women who “are committed” to each other might have a friendship — but not marriage. It is not a matter of religion, but biology. Marriage exists for the procreation and education of successive generations of human beings. Same-sex couples simply cannot procreate. They can, technically, adopt or even have a child by artificial insemination or surrogacy, but that child will never be the fruit of their conjugal love. There is a biological disconnect that prevents the two people in a same-sex relationship from uniting as “one flesh.”
The future of society depends largely on natural marriage. For the state to grant equal status to same-sex relationships would undermine society’s own future.
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Thank you for supporting Bishop Tobin and the teaching of the Catholic faith clearly and unwaveringly.
“Marriage exists for the procreation and education of successive generations of human beings. Same-sex couples simply cannot procreate. They can, technically, adopt or even have a child by artificial insemination or surrogacy, but that child will never be the fruit of their conjugal love. There is a biological disconnect that prevents the two people in a same-sex relationship from uniting as “one flesh.””
Then an infertile couple cannot unite as “one flesh”. An infertile couple cannot be married - given that definition.
It’s nice to know the Church is even-handed: it don’t just discriminate against same-sex relationships…
Catholic marriage is not for sissies… it is a difficult state of life based on a vow of commitment before God and the community. Catholic marriage is a religious state of life life within the Catholic vocation It can also be a joyously dolorous road to sainthood.
The horse scat of indoctrination and propaganda evangelized by the secular media regarding heterosexual and homosexual love is pure fantasy. Legion are the spiritual slaves, the blind and the lepers of this world who confuse licentiousness and sophomoric sentimental love for charity when in reality it is self worship.
A holy Catholic marriage is a reflection and divine participation in Trinitarian familial charity. It cooperates and participates in the divine act of creation.
JMJ
As important it is the real issue is not this full frontal attack on Marriage but it’s ultimate use as vehicle by which ACLU lawyers will make sure that every child in every public school in America from K through 12 is subjected to a barrage of mandatory pro gay propaganda and indoctrination with their parents having no legal basis of opting out. Just look at Massachusetts. In the Culture wars the left is always playing Chess while everyone else is playing Checkers. Where are the Bishops on this?
There are people who are gay. Get over it. Children are going to learn that there are people who are gay. Get over it.
God made gay people. Learn to deal with it. Or you are denying the Work of God.
Malchus, I don’t think you realize that your comments are reflective of your ignorance of true Catholic teaching. An infertile couple’s marriage is just as legitimate as a fecund marriage. The infertile couple’s condition is not something they rendered upon themselves, nature did. They are doing nothing to frustrate the marriage act and furthermore, it is possible for them to be blessed with a child. Homosexual sex by its very nature cannot give life. That’s just science. As for your last comment, the Church has support groups for Catholics with same-sex attraction as well as their families. So your suggestion for us to “get over it” has been heeded already.
http://couragerc.net/
http://couragerc.net/Encourage.html
Your editorial is correct but please don’t apologize for putting quotes around marriage. This is all part of the political agenda of the radical homosexual activists to make us cower for stating our side of the argument by claiming offense. Now that NY state has joined the forces to radicalize natural law and civilization we can expect the exemption for religious organizations to be challenged in court soon by the homosexual fascists as discriminatory. We should be the ones claiming offense that “marriage” can now be based on sodomy.
“. We should be the ones claiming offense that “marriage” can now be based on sodomy.”
I always thought it was a commitment born out of love and domesticity. forbidding that does not sound very Christian. It’s definitely catholic but not Christian.
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