We urge all Catholics to vigorously and respectfully work to defend and strengthen marriages.   

Our defense of marriage must focus on the importance and nature of marriage, and not be used or seen as an attack on homosexual persons.   The Church clearly teaches that homosexual persons and all of God’s people are to be treated with dignity, compassion and respect.   We condemn all forms of unjust discrimination, harassment or abuse.    Promoting and protecting the traditional Catholic understanding of marriage and protecting the dignity and rights of homosexual persons are not contradictory.    This is an opportunity for: 

v     Married couples to make time to renew and deepen their own marriages.

v       Parents to teach their children about marriage and sexuality.

v  Pastors, adult education programs, Catholic schools, religious educators and youth ministers to ensure they are clearly teaching Catholic beliefs about the vocation of marriage and family life and the virtue of chastity.

v  Parishes to expand their marriage ministry to not only prepare engaged couples for marriage but to offer marriage enrichment and support opportunities. 

v  Parishes to be pastoral towards homosexual Catholics and be aware of the Diocesan Gay & Lesbian Family Ministry  http://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/gayandlesbianfamilyministry/

v  Participating in the political process to promote, preserve and protect marriage.  

Diocesan Marriage Commission
June 8, 2004

Official Church Statements About Marriage and Same-Sex Unions:

1.       From the full U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (November 2003): Between Man and Woman: Questions and Answers about Marriage and Same-Sex Unions

2.       From the Administrative Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (September 2003): Promote, Preserve, Protect Marriage

3.       From the Bishops' Committee on Marriage and Family and the Committee on Domestic Policy (July 1996): Statement on Same-Sex Marriage

4.       From the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (July 2003): Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions between Homosexual Persons

5.       From the Vatican's Pontifical Council for the Family (July 2000): Family, Marriage and "De Facto" Unions  

Additional Resources and Links:

1.       The Catholic Bishops in Massachusetts are leading a campaign in favor of an amendment to the state constitution that would define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Various statements and background documents are available through the Massachusetts Catholic Conference. and their Leadership Guide

2.       The Marriage Law Project at the Catholic University of America (Washington DC) monitors the progress of state and federal legislation regarding marriage and same-sex unions. It provides updates and other resources.

3.       Most Reverend William J. Levada, Archbishop of San Francisco, has issued statements in response to the "gay marriages" taking place in that city. The links can be found toward the bottom of the main page.

4.       The Catholic Organization for Life and Family (COLF), working with the Canadian Catholic Bishops, has published a very helpful question/answer leaflet about same-sex marriage entitled Marriage Matters.  

5.   Click for current federal congressional legislation updates

6.   Ohio Catholic Conference urges voters to contact senators Dewine and Voinovich to vote FOR the Federal Marriage Amendment in July 2004  Click for details and contact information.  (Blocked:  only 48 of the needed 60 senators voted to hear the proposed amendment; proceedings ended July 14, 2004).