Please do not let this weekend pass - the close of the USCCB's National Marriage Week, without speaking of marriage from the pulpit and including information in your parish bulletins....
State Marriage Defense Act of 2015
(HR 824, S 435)
As the chairman of the USCCB's Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone wrote to the prime
House and
Senate sponsors of the
State Marriage Defense Act of 2015:
"I write in strong support of ...the State Marriage Defense Act of 2015.
"Various agencies of the Executive Branch have begun using a 'place of celebration' rule rather than a 'place of domicile' rule when determining the validity of a marriage for purposes of federal rights, benefits, and privileges.
"By employing a 'place of celebration' rule, these agencies have chosen to ignore the law of the state in which people reside in determining whether they are married. The effect, if not the intent, of this choice is to circumvent state laws defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. The Supreme Court’s 2013 decision in United States v. Windsor, however, requires the federal government to defer to state marriage law, not disregard it. Your bill would remedy this problem by requiring the federal government, consistent with Windsor, to defer to the marriage law of the state in which people actually reside when determining whether they are married for purposes of federal law.
"I am, therefore, very pleased to support the State Marriage Defense Act of 2015 and urge your colleagues to join...as cosponsors. Marriage needs to be preserved and strengthened, not redefined."
Pennsylvania's Representative Joe Pitts and Representative Keith Rothfus are co-sponsors of HR 824. God bless these public officials for both being like a modern day Saint Thomas More! As in the England of Henry VIII's era, hordes of public officials have either actively joined the abandonment of marriage or are looking for good places to hide! We must remind Fitz, Casey, and Toomey that our own moment in history makes co-sponsorship / support of the
State Marriage Defense Act imperative!
March for Marriage: Saturday, April 25th
The 3rd annual March for Marriage will start at 10 am , near the Capitol in DC.
"My friends, it's 1963 in the fight for marriage. And it is time we march.
"I can't promise you that we will have a historic speech like Dr.
King's 'I have a dream' speech, nor can I promise you 250,000 people
will come to Washington, but I can promise you this: we will
march for a true and just cause, for the civil right of Americans to
enjoy the benefits of natural marriage, the union of one man and one
woman, the foundation of society and the cradle of civilization.
"And I can also promise that this year's march could be as important
to the cause of marriage as the 1963 March on Washington was to the
cause of civil rights....
"The March for Marriage is set for Saturday, April 25th
which is within days of when the Supreme Court is expected to hear oral
argument on the cases before them that will decide the legal status of
marriage.
"This case could prove to be the Roe of marriage, or it could be a great win for us....
"Now is not the time to be timid or
dissuaded by the doubters; now is the time to stand and be counted, and to
march!....
"make plans to come to DC to join us
on April 25th. Perhaps you can organize a busload of people from church to join
you….
"It's my dream that you will stand
with us at this critical hour, and that with God's help we will make a difference
and help preserve marriage for our nation, and for future generations" (Brian Brown, National Organization for Marriage).
From the Amtrak Station in Trenton, it's 2.5
hours to DC's Union Station. From there, it's walking distance to the
activities. Pastors should be attending; parishes should pick up train fares (i.e., about $52, each way) for any who find it burdensome.
From the 2014 March for Marriage
From the 2013 March for Marriage
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