His Excellency..................................
Today, the Supreme Court of the United States of America sadly disregarded the natural moral law and the nature of marriage. By enshrining in our nation's laws a redefinition of marriage to include so-called same-sex "marriage", our Supreme Court has ignored the reality that marriage is a union of one man and one woman in a permanent loving relationship. The profound wonder of this natural structure is most especially seen in the sexual complementarity of husband and wife that, in its nature, brings forth new human life.
This redefinition affects us all since marriage is the bedrock of the family and the family, in turn, is the foundation of society. While marriage is indeed an intimate union between a man and a woman, it is a relationship that has profound public importance as well. From families come the future members of society. As St. John Paul II profoundly reminded us, "As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live."
Our concern about this decision by the Supreme Court is not based on prejudice or discrimination. In fact, we believe and hold that every human person has an innate dignity that must be respected. Motivated by a love for all and for our society, we affirm the truth that marriage is based on nature and cannot be redefined by politicians, the legislature, or even the courts under pressure from changing societal attitudes or popular opinion polls.
The role of legitimate authority, instead, is to recognize, strengthen, and most importantly protect the reality about marriage.
It will be necessary for us to pray more intensely for our country and its citizens. We in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi are committed to strengthening our pastoral care of marriage and family life, while respecting the dignity of those with same-sex attraction. By uniting and not dividing, we can better assist each other on the road to salvation with truth, compassion and love............
