Archbishop Cordileone Calls Supreme Court Decision To Hear Marriage Cases Significant Moment For Nation

WASHINGTON—Archbishop SalvatoreCordileone of San Francisco, chairman of the bishops' Subcommittee for thePromotion and Defense of Marriage, responded to today's U. S. Supreme Courtdecision to hear the case challenging California's Proposition 8 and a casechallenging the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

"The U.S. Supreme Court's decisionto hear these cases is a significant moment for our nation," ArchbishopCordileone said. "I pray the Court will affirm the fact that the institution ofmarriage, which is as old as humanity and written in our very nature, is the unionof one man and one woman. Marriage is the foundation of a just society, as itprotects the most vulnerable among us, children.It is the only institution that uniteschildren with their mothers and fathers together. We pray for the Court, thatits deliberations may be guided by truth and justice so as to uphold marriage'strue meaning and purpose," Archbishop Cordileone said.

In 2008, California voters passedProposition 8, which defines marriage in California's State Constitution as theunion of one man and one woman. DOMA, passed by Congress and signed into law byPresident Bill Clinton in 1996, defines marriage as the union of one man andone woman for purposes of federal law. A decision by the Supreme Court isexpected by next June.Depending on theCourt's ruling, there could be ramifications for marriage laws throughout thecountry.

Earlier this week the bishops issueda Call to Prayer for Life, Marriage and Religious Liberty as part of a pastoralresponse for the protection of life, marriage and liberty. Information isavailable at www.usccb.org/life-marriage-liberty.

---

Keywords: Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, DOMA, Defense ofMarriage Act, Supreme Court, Proposition 8, marriage. President Bill Clinton

# # # # #