BISHOP’S
PASTORAL MESSAGE
Bishop John T. Steinbock
July 2008
What is this world
coming to? How often we say this to
ourselves. Now we have to say it in
relation to our own State Supreme Court.
By a vote of 4 to 3, the California Supreme Court declared that the
Defense of Marriage Act adopted by voters 8 years ago violates the California
Constitution. Four justices of our
State Supreme Court arrogated to themselves a “wisdom” previously, to their
thinking, beyond the grasp of the rest of humanity from time immemorial.
They have ignored history, our culture, and the very nature of man and
woman, and the meaning of marriage itself, by mandating homosexual marriages in
our State. They have redefined
marriage according to their own prejudices, and instead of interpreting the law,
rewrote the law. Their decision
ignores the very biological fact of the complementarity of man and woman, that
is woven into the social fabric of every major society from time immemorial, and
injects further confusion in our society concerning the authentic nature of
marriage, and further confuses the relationship of individual human rights to
society as a whole. Hopefully, the
citizens of
Marriage and the
family are the foundation blocks for society.
Marriage is much more than simply two persons loving each other.
Marriage is naturally, socially, and biologically, directed to bringing
forth life. The family, made up of
a husband and wife, bringing forth children, is what enables a society to
continue, with the parents being responsible for the education of their
children.
The Church has
spoken out constantly that those with a homosexual orientation must be respected
with the dignity of every child of God. Every individual is created in the image
and likeness of God and should never be subjected to prejudice or hatred.
But, the Church can never approve of redefining marriage through which a
man and woman are called to become one flesh and through the expression of their
love, bring forth children to form the family.
God help us.
God help our children, who will be taught in our public schools that
there is no difference between a marriage of a man and woman and a marriage of
two men or two women. Prepare
yourselves to teach your children and grandchildren the true meaning of marriage
and the beauty of Christian marriage.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states clearly:
“The vocation to marriage is written in the very nature of man and woman
as they came from the hand of the Creator.
Marriage is not a purely human institution…”
Let us pray for our Christian marriages and our Christian families, and
for our children who will be subjected to brainwashing in our public school
system regarding this matter. As we
read in the book of Genesis:
“Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and
they become one flesh.” God help
us, and God bless us all.