Catholic Fire

The leaders of the four dioceses in Kansas issued a statement Thursday, June 27, in response to the U.S. Supreme Court decisions on the DOMA and Proposition 8. Here is their statement: Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, Bishop John Brungardt of Dodge City, Bishop Edward Weisenburger of Salina, and Monsignor Robert Hemberger, Diocesan Administrator of Wichita, issued the following statement today in response to the United States Supreme Court decisions in United States v. Windsor and Hollingsworth v. Perry: In one of two significant rulings today the United States Supreme Court struck down the section of the federal Defense of Marriage Act that defined marriage as between one man and one woman for purposes of federal law and federal benefits. There had been a concern that the justices would strike down all state laws and constitutional amendments defining marriage as between one man and one woman but fortunately this did not come to pass.  A great many of the...

Related Post:   U.S. Supreme Court and the 'gay marriage rulings: the good, the bad, and the ugly

by Michelle Bauman, assistant editor for Catholic News Agency and EWTN News from CNA blog : This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and dismissed an appeal of California’s Proposition 8 on grounds of standing. But what does this mean? What are the implications of the court decisions? Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly from today’s rulings: The Good: The court did not claim to have discovered a fundamental “right” to marry. If it had done so, it could have imposed a redefinition of marriage on the entire country, forcing widespread recognition of “gay marriage.” Instead, the court chose to issue a more limited ruling, saying in its DOMA decision that the states are free to define marriage as they see fit, but if they choose to recognize same-sex “marriage,” the federal government must acknowledge these “marriages” alongside the marriages of one man and one woman. States are still free to hold a view of marriage as...