An initiative of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Virginia’s Catholic Bishops Issue Statement on Attorney General’s Refusal to Defend State Constitution on Marriage

On Thursday, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring announced his decision not to defend Virginia’s constitutional amendment protecting marriage, but instead will join plaintiffs in lawsuits challenging it. Bishop Paul S. Loverde of the Diocese of Arlington and Diocese of Richmond Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo expressed extreme disappointment with the Attorney General’s decision.

“Virginia voters put this provision in the Constitution, and no politician should be able to reverse the people’s decision. We call on the Attorney General to do the job he was elected to perform, which is to defend the state laws he agrees with, as well as those state laws with which he personally disagrees. We will continue to defend marriage between a man and a woman, an institution whose original design predates all governments and religions.”

The Bishops’ full statement can be found here.

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