As you probably already know, the Supreme Court is preparing to consider two marriage-related cases this spring: United States v. Windsor, about the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and Hollingsworth v. Perry, about California’s Proposition 8. As the USCCB news release about these cases pointed out, “Depending on the Court’s ruling, there could be ramifications for marriage laws throughout the country.”
To raise awareness of these monumental cases, and to show support for upholding the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman, the National Organization for Marriage, along with other partner organizations, is organizing a March for Marriage. The March will be held in Washington, DC, on March 26, 2013, the day oral arguments begin in the Supreme Court. Tentative information about the day’s schedule can be found at the March for Marriage website.
Catholic bishops have voiced their support for the March for Marriage. In a letter sent to all U.S. bishops on February 25, Bishop Kevin Rhoades, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, and Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone, chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, encouraged participation in the march. They write in the letter, “The march will be a significant opportunity to promote and defend marriage and the good of our nation, to pray for our Supreme Court justices, and to stand in solidarity with people of good will.” Archbishop Cordileone will also be one of the speakers at the rally after the march.
Sign up for updates about the March for Marriage on its website: http://www.marriagemarch.org.
4 responses to “March for Marriage: March 26, 2013”
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I want more info abt the march…who is going from new york city where I reside?
Hi Johanna, I would recommend contacting the organizers of the March for Marriage to find out if a group is being organized from NYC. Here is the Contact page from their website: http://www.marriagemarch.org/contact/.
The #1 one reason that deniers of same sex marriage give is suitability to raise children for denying same sex marriage, The problem with that line of reasoning is that it is false. No one is denied a opposite sex marriage no matter how inappropriate they are too raise children. Any serial killer or mental case can get an opposite sex marriage, even if raising children is totally out of their capability. So why should same sex couples be held to a standard, that opposite sex couples NEVER ARE?
Thanks for your comment, Kevin. To clarify, the Church doesn’t base its argument for marriage (one man & one woman) on parenting competency, which it seems like you’re implying here. In other words, what the Church is *not* saying is that a man and a woman always and in every circumstance are better parents than two men or two women. (I’m sure many people can think of instances where a mother and father sorely neglected their children.) What the Church *is* saying is that given the fact that every child has a father and a mother, every child deserves to know and be raised by his/her father and mother together, when that is possible. Of course there are instances when this is not possible, and then an adoptive mother and father can generously provide a home for that child, still honoring his or her need for a father and mother. But what redefining marriage does is say to the child that it doesn’t matter whether they have a father and a mother. Redefining marriage to include two men or two women would deprive a child put into those situations of either a father or a mother. The Catholic Church sees that as unjust to the child. Two men or two women might have very good parenting skills, but they can never give a child his or her fundamental birthright of a father and mother together.