Letter
Letter from Bishop Malone to U.S. Bishops on Promoting Marriage and the Family (2014)
Letter from Bishop Richard J. Malone, Chairman, USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth to U.S. Bishops on Promoting Marriage and the Family, January 17, 2014
"Greeting and blessings in this new year. The upcoming observances of National Marriage Week (Feb. 7-14), World Marriage Day (Sunday, Feb. 9) and Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) provide an opportunity to celebrate the gift and blessing of marriage and to affirm and support engaged and married couples.
As you know, one of the pastoral priorities of our Conference is to promote and strengthen marriage both as a natural institution willed by the Lord and as a Christian sacrament between a baptized man and baptized woman. Marriage and the family face many challenges in our contemporary society. The declining numbers of marriages in the Church is a concern to our Committee, as are the effects that pornography use has on marriages and families. In the political and legal realm, it is certainly of grave concern to see continuing attempts to redefine marriage into something other than the lifelong union of one man and one woman. We are well aware of the disappointing June 2013 Supreme Court decision that struck down part of the Defense of Marriage Act.
On behalf of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, I am grateful to highlight various resources that may be of assistance as your dioceses and parishes continue to build a culture that honors and promotes marriage and the family."