Bishops' Schedules: Bishop Robert C. Morlino Thursday, March 18, 2004 9:15 a.m. -- Preside at Morning Prayer followed by Guest Presentation, Parish Staff Day, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Friday, March 19, 2004 12:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Guest Speaker, Serra Club of Madison, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Saturday, March 20 - Friday, March 26, 2004 Attend National Coalition on Health Care Ministry Meeting and United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Administrative Committee Meeting, Washington, D.C. Bishop William H. Bullock, Bishop Emeritus Sunday, March 21, 2004 1:00 p.m. -- Celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism at Saint Paul University Catholic Center Chapel, Madison

Marriage:
Always considered holy

		Under the Gospel Book + Bishop Robert C. Morlino

Dear Friends,

Long before the Word became flesh and dwelt among us in Jesus Christ, Who founded our Church, and Who raised marriage to the dignity and power of a sign of our salvation, a sacrament, from the beginnings of humanity, marriage was seen as a holy institution. It was not good for the man to be alone and so that the human species might continue, the husband and wife received the call to increase and multiply, to fill the earth and to subdue it.

Basic building block of every society

Thus long before the Christian or Catholic dispensation regarding marriage, marriage was seen as an institution which included one husband, one wife for a lifetime with openness to children and the accompanying responsibility to form and educate those children. Across national and religious boundaries, by and large this notion of marriage was accepted and indeed promoted as the basic building block for every society. The common good of every society is focused on the appropriate formation and education of children so that each generation can express the truth that they are more concerned for the next generation than their own.

Thus long before the appearance of the Word made flesh, human beings, husband and wife were called to the very height of human excellence in terms of the complete, self-sacrificial giving to the other, looking after the concerns of the other rather than their own. The intimacy of husband and wife in fact is the place which the Creator has reserved to Himself as the sacred space wherein He brings new human life into the world.

Marriage is special and holy

The beauty and the dignity of the marriage bond in terms of calling forth the best in our humanity and in terms of serving the common good by best providing for the formation and education of children is well established and long established. It can be said that in fact there are not two purposes of marriage, intimacy and procreation, but rather that according to God's Plan, according to "natural law," the intimacy of marriage rather than being in any way introverted has the incredible potential of being life giving, that sacred space where the Creator joins with husband and wife in bringing forth new life.

And this human reality has always been considered special and holy. Thus marriage is a call freely to sacrifice many rights for the sake of communion with the other. It is not a means for legal self-protection. It is a receptacle for self-sacrifice and vulnerability.

When the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, this union of husband and wife was constituted a sign of our salvation, a sacrament, a mirror of Christ's sacrificial love for His Church. Christ, always the bridegroom, laid down His life for the Church, His bride, so that from the sacramental font of Baptism many children might be begotten who would then call God their Father. In the words of St. Paul, this is a great mystery indeed.

The truth about marriage is a truth about a human reality which is a holy covenant, and for us as Catholics, a truth about a saving mystery which is a sacrament. The truth of marriage could never be reduced to legal or contractual issues which might accompany the institution of marriage but could never be considered its core.

Language of family is foundational

Just as marriage from time immemorial has been considered the foundational unit, the fundamental building block for human society so too the language of family has been foundational for each one of us. The very first words that we learn as children are "mom" or "dad" or "daughter" or "son" or "sister" or "brother" and their equivalent. The first vocabulary into which we were introduced as children is the vocabulary in fact of marriage and family, and that vocabulary genuinely forms who we are.

Many currents in our society have posed a threat to the human good which is marriage. As I have mentioned, the inclusion of children has been threatened not only by the contraceptive mentality but also by the scourge of abortion. Without judging anyone's intentions, this is simply a fact. The phenomenon in our society of artificial reproduction and in vitro fertilization has further complicated this difficulty. Because of in vitro fertilization and its possible outcomes, one can distinguish now between the biological mother from whose egg the child was conceived, the gestational mother or surrogate in whose womb the child is brought to term, and the third mother who actually forms and educates the child once delivered. So in some cases it is already not so easy against this background to say exactly what the words "mom," "dad," "daughter," "son," "brother," "sister" really mean.

The most foundational words in our vocabulary as human persons are confused and called into question as the foundational unit of our society is subject to threat by all sorts of variation and redefinition. When the moorings of the family as the basic unit of society and the meaning of some of the most fundamental terms that we use as humans like "mom" and "dad" are seriously compromised and called into question, it seems to me that this could not possibly serve the common good.

Efforts to redefine marriage

The phenomenon which has newly presented itself, that is gay marriage, further complicates the difficulty for the common good about which we have been reflecting. The arguments in favor of such arrangements are based on equal protection under State Constitutions, that is the equal protection of rights to certain benefits that ordinarily accrue to husbands and wives in the traditional marriage situation.

I have to believe that the intelligence, the cleverness and the sheer number of attorneys in our American culture could readily devise ways to insure benefits for those who should have a right to them without compromising marriage as the foundational unit of our society and without compromising the most basic vocabulary that we learn as little children.

The danger that we presently face is that the "marriage" of which I spoke at the beginning of this column could be reduced to the legal contractual dimensions that are used to justify the promotion of gay marriage. The covenant of marriage involves forfeiting the right to divorce - that is the whole point of the traditional marriage vows. But not only has divorce been institutionalized as a right under the "right of marriage," but couples preparing for marriage sometimes equally prepare for divorce through the preparation of prenuptial agreements. The marriage bond has already been profoundly weakened by elements such as this and others that I have mentioned in the course of this column.

For marriage to be redefined in the minds of many people, according to the civil law, as a means to equal protection under the Constitution could well mean that the covenant dimension of marriage which calls all of us to a highest human capacity for self-sacrificial love could be lost. Marriage as a protected right under the Constitution redefined however an individual or polled group might wish to redefine it will not, it seems to me, serve the common good as the reality of marriage from time immemorial has served that same common good.

Next topic: rights and natural law

As I conclude, let me insist once again upon the truth that Christ laid down His life to save every human person including every gay or lesbian human person and that the only proper response to them is the love and the respect due to those for whom Christ died. Let me also say, in the spirit of my column in the Catholic Herald last week, that a right is not necessarily whatever someone or some group intends to be a right or thinks is a right. The natural law, the law of reason written in our minds and in our bodies tells us that there is an objective way of accounting for rights - they are generated in a way that can be objectively justified and are not simply afforded because of what some individual or group intends or thinks. The whole issue of how rights are objectively generated or arise out of natural law considerations will be the topic of next week's Catholic Herald column. Please stay tuned. Thank you for reading this.

God bless each one of you. And let us pray for one another that through increased prayer and works of penance and charity, the Lord will draw us to that greater holiness which He desires to prepare in us so that we might celebrate the great feast of Easter in joy and in peace. Praised be Jesus Christ!

Bishop's Letter

Dear Friends in Christ:

The annual special collection in support of the American Bishops' Overseas Appeal will be taken the weekend of March 20 and 21.

The importance of the mission this collection supports is summarized in these words from the Bishops' document Called to Global Solidarity: Through the eyes of faith, the starving child, the believer in jail, and the woman without clean water or health care are not issues, but Jesus in disguise.

Your contributions will support the vital programs of Catholic Relief Services; Migration and Refugee Services and the Department of Social Development and World Peace of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; and the Holy Father's Relief Fund.

Their programs include emergency aid and disaster relief, health and education programs, small enterprise development, refugee resettlement and advocacy, and the promotion of religious liberty, human rights, and global solidarity. Through these Catholic agencies you can be assured that your contributions will be used for quality programs with minimal administrative overhead.

As you consider your contribution, also pray for peace and justice in the world. With war, terrorism, famine, disease, and disrespect for human life so wide spread, the practical presence of the Church in the world is a sign of caring and hope to those who need to know that God loves them. They are indeed Jesus in disguise. Thank you for your generosity.

Faithfully yours in Christ,

The Most Reverend
Robert C. Morlino
Bishop of Madison