N.H. civil unions get protections, face pitfalls
Boston Globe December 30, 2007
Report: British doctors oppose abortions
United Press International December 29, 2007
Oregon Domestic Partnership Law Halted
Associated Press December 28, 2007
Faithful find controversy within ranks
USA Today December 27, 2007
Romney casts self as most experienced
Herald Tribune December 27, 2007
Pope makes Christmas Day appeal
MSNBC December 25, 2007
Religion and health loom large in U.S. election
Reuters December 24, 2007
Tony Blair Converts To Catholicism
CBS News December 22, 2007
Pope Willing to Talk With China
Associated Press December 21, 2007
Tancredo Drops WH Bid, Endorses Romney
Associated Press December 20, 2007
After an abortion
Washington Times December 19, 2007
UN Assembly calls for moratorium on death penalty
Reuters December 18, 2007
Presidential Candidates on the Issues
Associated Press December 18, 2007
Dems Lose Fight on Family Planning Aid
Associated Press December 17, 2007
N.H. Catholic Diocese issues voting guide
Boston Globe December 15, 2007
Gay marriage debate intensifies as conservatives get organized
Newsday December 15, 2007
Vatican defends duty to evangelize and accept converts
Reuters December 14, 2007
Gay divorce case moves to R.I. Superior Court
Boston Globe December 14, 2007
N.J. Lawmakers Vote to Ban Death Penalty
Associated Press December 14, 2007
Pope warns of 'dark shadows' on humanity
USA Today December 12, 2007
Thompson slams Romney on abortions
Miami Herald December 12, 2007
Huckabee's views on gays under greater scrutiny
Boston Globe December 12, 2007
Liberal views could haunt Obama
USA Today December 11, 2007
Colo. Petition Revives Anti-Abortion Bid
Associated Press December 10, 2007
Romney Defends Faith Speech
ABC News December 10, 2007
Abortion Complicates Congressional Debate Over Foreign Aid Bill
New York Times December 9, 2007
Pope Warns Children About 'Dead-End Streets of Consumerism'
FOX News December 8, 2007
Catholics mark 150th anniversary of Lourdes apparitions
Yahoo! News December 8, 2007
R.I. court won't let gay couple divorce
Boston Globe December 8, 2007
Missouri officials OK abortion initiative petition
Kansas City Star December 7, 2007
Stem cells reverse sickle cell anemia in mice
Los Angeles Times December 7, 2007
Pope in rare meeting with Russian Orthodox cleric
Reuters December 7, 2007
Congress Drops Hate Crimes Bill
Associated Press December 6, 2007
Romney: No religious test for president
MSNBC December 5, 2007
JFK speech on religion
Yahoo! News December 5, 2007
Huckabee Keeps Faith Views to Himself
Associated Press December 5, 2007
Democrats trade barbs over abortion, Iran
Newsday December 5, 2007
China consecrates two Vatican-approved bishops
Reuters December 4, 2007
Trenton: Anti-Death Penalty Bill Moves Forward
New York Times December 4, 2007
Rights for embryos proposed
Chicago Tribune December 3, 2007
Romney to address his Mormon faith in speech
CNN December 3, 2007
UK Indian women 'aborting girls'
BBC December 2, 2007
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Key Faith Resources
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Marriage & Same-Sex Relationships
Page 2 (cont.)
At the social level, this change forces the marriage institution to become indifferent to
the absence of a mother or a father. It will ratify marriage as just an "adult-centered"
arrangement that gives preference to the desires of the adults over the needs of the children.
It will contribute further to the already extensive breakdown of the family in society by
promoting the belief that children do not need both a mother and a father.
To affirm the unique benefits of the joining of the sexes, especially in relation to the
well-being of children, is not prejudice. As the U.S. Catholic Bishops recognize, the state
"can justly give married couples rights and benefits it does not extend to others." While all
individuals are equal in dignity, not all private arrangements are qualified to be raised to the
status of a public institution.
The Church strongly condemns hatred and disrespect towards any person because of his or her
homosexuality. Yet, "[t]he Church teaches that respect for homosexual persons cannot lead in any
way to approval of homosexual behavior or to legal recognition of homosexual unions", according to
the CDF in its 1986 letter on the pastoral care of homosexual persons. In addition, no one, whether
it is homosexual persons, the state, or the Church, has the right to redefine the God-given
institution of marriage.
Massachusetts Concerns
In November of 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that same-sex marriage must be
protected under the state constitution. The case name is Goodridge v. Department of Public Health. The
state began issuing same-sex marriage licenses in May 2004.
This spring, the state legislature rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have reaffirmed
marriage as the union between one man and one woman without mandating the recognition of same-sex relationships.
Instead, after a series of parliamentary maneuvers, legislators were left only with the choice of voting for or
against an amendment that rejects same-sex marriage but that also institutes civil unions. The amendment,
sponsored by Senate President Robert Travaglini and Senator Brian Lees, passed the first of two required
legislative votes.
If the legislature approves this amendment again in 2005-2006, it would go on the statewide
November 2006 ballot. It cannot be amended at this stage.
If supported by the voters, the amendment would overturn the Goodridge ruling only partially.
It would limit the status of marriage to opposite-sex couples, but the positive effects would be
felt only outside of our state. Same-sex couples no longer could get married in Massachusetts and
then use that status as a basis for filing a lawsuit to change the marriage policies of other states
or the federal government.. Yet the amendment would make no positive difference here in Massachusetts.
Within our borders, same-sex civil unions would still have to be equated to marriage in all but name.
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