Summary Statement On Marriage
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
The U.S. Supreme Court recently rendered its rulings on cases involving same-sex unions. In light of these rulings, it is important for us to maintain clarity on Catholic Church teaching regarding the dignity of persons, marriage and family. I take this opportunity to thank Mr. Dominic Faraone, who serves as Coordinator of Family Life/Respect Life in the Office of Catholic Charities, for his assistance in helping to formulate this statement.
Every person is created in the image and likeness of God as a union of body and soul. Therefore, man and woman have dignity which must be acknowledged and respected. God created man and woman out of love, and summons them to love. This sacred character and calling is true of every human being. Of course, there are various forms or means of love. Among these, marriage, according to the divine plan of God as revealed in Sacred Scripture, is reserved to the union of a man and a woman.
As human persons of equal dignity who are called to love, man and woman are the same — different yet complementary as male and female. The complementary sexuality of man and woman is a gift that merits respect. As different yet complementary, they are capable of forming a union that is open to the possibility of new life. Human sexuality is a gift from God and is thus good. Sexual desire, in turn, is meant to “draw man and woman together” in marriage by divine plan. Marriage involves a faithful, exclusive, lifelong union of a man and a woman in an intimate community of life and love. As Jesus Christ instructed, “from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother [and be joined to his wife] and the two shall become one flesh.” [cf. Gospel of Mark 10:6-8]
The love between husband and wife involves a total mutual physical and spiritual self-giving, which aims at a deeply personal unity. The rendering of spouses as gift to one another is ordered toward their own good as well as the procreation and education of children. In this way, as noted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, children spring “from the very heart” of spousal self-giving and indeed have the right to be the fruit of their parents’ specific act of conjugal love. [cf. CCC, #2366, #2378] Consequently, grounded in profound respect for the dignity of persons and human sexuality as a gift from God, the moral teaching of the Church has consistently affirmed that “it is God’s plan that sexual intercourse occur only within marriage between a man and a woman.” Furthermore, this same consistent moral teaching of the Church instructs that “every act of intercourse must be open to the possible creation of human life.”
In a 2009 Pastoral Letter, entitled Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops described marriage as “a unique union, a relationship different from all others.” Marriage is not merely a private institution; it is the foundation of the family, which as the original cell of social life is critical to social well-being. Society, the Catechism teaches, has a responsibility to “support and strengthen marriage and the family.” [cf. CCC, #2210]
Discord has always threatened the union of man and woman. Among the various challenges to the dignity and purpose of marriage is the notion of same-sex unions. In respect to homosexuality, the Church makes the clear distinction between inclination and sexual activity. Homosexual inclination, as the Church denotes, is not objectively sinful. Neither heterosexual nor homosexual orientation inevitably leads to sexual activity. As noted in a 1986 letter from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Church “refuses to consider the person as a ‘heterosexual’ or a ‘homosexual,’ as no person is reducible to mere sexual orientation or behavior.” Rather, the letter from the CDF explains, Catholic teaching insists that “every person has a fundamental Identity: the creature of God, and by grace, his child and heir to eternal life.”
The “ultimate end” of all married and non-married people is “friendship with God,” which requires holiness. To develop and sustain a life of holiness, one must cultivate such virtues as fidelity, forgiveness, hope, perseverance, sacrifice and chastity. Each and every person is summoned by God to practice chastity in each and every relationship, which necessarily involves the integration of one’s thoughts, words and actions in such a way that values and respects one’s own dignity as well as that of others in the area of human sexuality. Following Jesus Christ means following the way of the Cross. The integration of virtues to embrace the call to holiness of life is beyond the scope of the mere merits of the human condition. Thus, we must continually remain open and receptive to the grace of God that provides the means by way of the Sacraments, especially the Sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation.
While I realize that Church teaching is not always easy to hear, let alone, fully embrace, the Christian way of life has never been marked by the path of comfort or least resistance. Many today have chosen to determine what is right and just based merely on a sense of “fairness.” The blanket application of such a notion fails to take into consideration the full breadth of Church teaching on the dignity of human life and human sexuality as sacred gifts from God. Fairness, while important to the way in which humans beings interact, has never been regarded as an actual virtue. The Word of God is meant to challenge as well as console those who desire to grow in the virtues of faith, hope and love. These virtues, like human sexuality itself, are not ends in themselves. We seek the Kingdom of God and Salvation of Souls.
With assurance of my prayer, best wishes and regard for every individual and family throughout the twelve counties that make up the Diocese of Evansville and beyond, I remain
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Charles C. Thompson
Most Reverend Charles C. Thompson
Bishop of Evansville
