CATHOLIC DEMOCRATS OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY URGE CHURCH TO FOCUS ON EQUAL PROTECTION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bill Roth, roth@catholicdemocrats.org (408)-876-0111
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- July 21, 2008 -- Noting the positive contributions the Bishop of San Jose has made to the debate on important moral issues, Catholic Democrats of Santa Clara County call on Bishop Patrick McGrath and the Church of San Jose to focus on equal protection and solidarity in the upcoming public debate on the definition of marriage in California.
Bill Roth, Chair of Catholic Democrats of Santa Clara County issue the following statement today:
"Bishops in the Roman Catholic Church have an important teaching role in addition to their leadership position in the Church. Bishop McGrath has shown wisdom and leadership on important issues in the past. We remain grateful for his 2002 statement pointing out the extreme moral difficulties in invading Iraq.
"We are also grateful for the humble tone of his most recent statement 'Same-Sex Marriage in the State of California'. His very first sentence reminds us "The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that person with a homosexual orientation 'must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity.'" So much of the debate on this issue in the Faith Community is centered on none of these.
"The rest of his statement discusses the redefinition civil marriage. First, we adamantly opposed any civil authority intervening in the Roman Catholic definition of marriage. Second, while we respect the teaching authority of Bishop McGrath, we urge him and the Church of San Jose to view the discussion differently.
"The issues around marriage and Proposition 8 in California are strictly a civil issue. The Roman Catholic Church does not recognize many forms of civil marriage. The key issue in the debate on the definition of civil marriage is one of equality before the law, and equal protection. Since Solidarity, or focusing on humanity as One Human Family, is one of the key themes in the US Bishops' document Faithful Citizenship, we urge all Catholics in Santa Clara County to view this debate through this lens.
"In conclusion, the definition of civil marriage in California, however constructed, poses no threat to those of us Catholics in committed heterosexual, sacramentally-sanctioned unions. We urge the Bishop McGrath and the Church in San Jose, to look at this issue through the lens of Solidarity and Equal Protection under the law."
About Catholic Democrats
Catholic Democrats is an association of state and local groups representing a Catholic voice within the Democratic Party,
and advancing a public understanding of the rich tradition of Catholic Social Teaching and its potential to help solve
the broad range of problems confronting all Americans.
Catholic Democrats of Santa Clara County is the Nation's first group to be chartered by a local Democratic Party organization.
Resources
Bishop McGrath's Statement
http://www.dsj.org/dsj/valleyissue.asp?id=48&story=2476
Faithful Citizenship
http://www.faithfulcitizenship.org/
Catholic Democrats of Santa Clara County
http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/scc/