GUEST EDITORIAL: Supporting Catholic bishop's stance on marriage
MOSES LAKE - On Jan. 26, this paper published a letter from the Catholic bishops of the dioceses of Washington opposing the gay marriage bill. Unfortunately, since then, the bill has passed and signed into law.
As Catholics, we feel it is important to stand in support of our bishops and the wisdom and tradition of the Catholic Church's teaching. As reiterated by the Bishops' letter, marriage is more than a civil contract; it is a sacrament - a sacred, holy union between a man and a woman that includes God and is blessed by God.
The civil union part of a contract, recognized by the state and referred to as "marriage," is actually a domestic partnership. It deals with shared ownership and all other legal responsibilities and benefits of the two "partners." Rightfully, it does not speak of the sanctity of marriage, which can only be administered through a recognized ordained priest or minister.
Marriage has, for thousands of years, been recognized as a sacred union between a man and a woman. Now, all people who have entered that sacred union are being asked to share that definition with gay couples, and many actually feel strongly that their vows are being violated. They feel that the inclusion of gay couples under the definition of the term "marriage" is simply not consistent with church teaching or with the vows that they shared. Call the union a civil one or a domestic partnership, but please don't call it marriage. That word has already been taken.
The Catholic Church has always taught "love the person, hate the sin." We all sin. We all have our crosses to bear; and we all will be individually accountable for our actions on Earth. As Catholics we don't deny that love between two people of the same sex isn't real. Christ teaches us to love one another; to care and be compassionate to one another. He taught us through his example to be tolerant of people - but not of sin, which he defined as going against His Father's will as explained in the Ten Commandments.
As a matter of conscience, if one professes to be "Catholic" one must accept and profess all the teachings of the church, not just the ones we feel "comfortable" with. In this matter, and in the issues of conscience raised through the Obamacare, (abortion, birth control, sterilization, in fact, the issues of freedom of conscience and freedom of religion!) I stand in complete support of our church and our bishops' leadership.