An initiative of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Indiana Bishops’ Response to Marriage Decision

Eight Indiana bishops gather in May 2014 in Lafayette for a provincial meeting and a meeting with the executive director of the Indiana Catholic Conference. They are, from front left: Bishop Timothy L. Doherty of Lafayette; Bishop Charles C. Thompson of Evansville; Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend; Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin, CSsR, of Indianapolis and Bishop Dale J. Melczek, of Gary. Behind them, from left to right, are Bishop Emeritus William L. Higi, of Lafayette; Bishop Emeritus Gerald A. Gettelfinger, of Evansville and Bishop Christopher Coyne, auxiliary bishop of Indianapolis. As they are retired, Bishops Gettelfinger and Higi were not signatories of this statement. 

Yesterday, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana ruled that Indiana’s definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman is unconstitutional and that the state’s non-recognition of out-of-state same-sex “marriages” is unconstitutional. Indiana will be appealing the decision.

The bishops of Indiana issued a statement about the decision, noting that it, “ignores this fundamental and natural truth of marriage and opens its definition to the whims of public opinion.”

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