Statement of Conscience by Maine Catholics

Statement of Conscience by Maine Catholics
Regarding Marriage Equality

Published in Maine Sunday Telegram, October 18, 2009

We are Catholics who are concerned that the current political campaign to repeal Maine’s civil marriage equality law is at odds with fundamental principles of truth and charity, and with vital American traditions of separation of church and state.

The Maine Legislature has determined that the societal sanctions of marriage should be available to two adult humans regardless of their sex. This reflects the sincere and justified belief that two people of the same sex can and do fall in love, feel deeply the natural human impulse toward lifelong commitment, and yearn for the societal recognition of their commitment that is marriage. This belief is not dishonor of marriage; it is reverence for it.

Maine’s new marriage equality law was carefully and intentionally drafted to protect the Church’s right to set its own requirements for the sacrament of matrimony. No one can suggest that the Church’s independence is at risk in this regard. Rather, the repeal effort appears to be more about denying secular, civil marriage and the civil rights that accompany marriage. As we debate this, the real issue, we must keep in mind the Second Vatican Council’s call for respect for the rights of others.

We are also concerned that Diocesan leaders may have allowed the Church to appear to join with others who engage in the kind of misleading media attacks used in California when it appeared that those4 opposed to same-sex marriage could prevail otherwise. There is, for example, no valid legal basis for the TV ad that the law will require teaching “homosexual marriage” in school. Nor is there any credible evidence that same sex couples are lesser parents than heterosexual couples. Weeks after these statements have been exposed as baseless, no corrections have been forthcoming. Because the Diocese’s position has become associated with these misstatements, some Catholics may not feel free to challenge them.

We believe that the Church has the right and often the responsibility to speak out on moral and social issues, to present its views, to seek to educate its members and others. But we also believe that the Church should continue to recognize that Catholics are free, indeed obligated, to follow their informed consciences on such issues. In this regard, we find disturbing any suggestion that formal Church teaching obligates all Catholics to oppose marriage equality.

While churches are closing and it is ever harder for the Church to meet human needs, we see Church funds, including parishioners’ contributions solicited during Mass, fueling a consultant-driven campaign that is conducted in a manner inconsistent with our shared Catholic views.

We fear the inclusion of explicit politics into the Sunday Mass and urge the Church to promote the presentation of good faith debat3e and dialogue in appropriate settings.

We must speak out now because the day cannot come soon enough for our leaders to give life to the belief that truth, charity, and freedom are the birthright of all of humankind.

Kurt W. Adams, Esq.
Rosemary and Robert Babcock
Jane Skelton, Edq. & Edmond Bearor, Esq.
Bethany K. Beausang, Esq.
Jane Begert
Severin Beliveau, Esq.
Michael R. Bosse, Esq.
Claire & Joseph Brannigan
Michael Brennan
Paul Bulger, Esq.
George F. Burns, Esq.
Jouleyanne Capbell
Beth and David Caputi
Linda & Peter Caradonna
Michael Carey
Jonathan A. Cashman
Mary & Arthur Cerullo, Esq.
Irene Coady
Gerard Conley, Esq.
Walter Corey, Esq.
Ann M. Courtney, Esq.
Pat Cross
Margaret Cruikshank
Bill Curran
Frank D’Allensandro, Esq.
Frank DeSerro
Mary Beth DiMarco
Joseph G. Donahue Esq.
Sandra Donovan
Rose & Jack Dougherty
Julie & Rene Dumont
Asha Echeverria, Esq.
Sue Ewing
Julie Finn, Esq.
Rep. Sean Flaherty
Elizabeth & Jeffrey Fortin
Joseph Francis, P.A., C.
Donna Galluzzo
Lori Garon
Michael J. Gentile, Esq.
Louise Haggett
Evan M. Hansen Esq.
Rosie Harris
Ann & Erik Johnson
Patricia & Robert Kiley
Georgia Kosciusko
Ann & Arthur LaSelva
Gloria Leach
Ann Marie Memire, M.D.
Susan E. LoGuidice, Esq.
Virginia Smith & Ed Macomber
Cynthia L. Marsden
Katherine M. McCarthy, Esq.
Michelle McDonough
Nancy & Karl Miller, D.O.
Frances & Edward Minderlein
James Morse, Ph.D.
Winifred Murray-Higgins, R.N.C.
Mary O‘Brien & Stephen Naculich
Linda Nelson
Cathy Newell
Kathleen O’Connor, Ph.D.
Frank O’Hara
Peg Olson, P.T.
Carmela M. Palanda
Dawn Pelletier, Esq.
Daniel Perry, Esq.
Claudia Picone, M.D.
Jonathan S. Piper, Esq.
Patricia Plante, F.N.P., C.
Patricia Porter-Rood
Joan Fortin, Esq. & Chet Randall, Esq.
Mary Redstone
Patricia R. Regan
Dawn Rider, M.D.
Jina, Rick, Sadie, Gabe, Zoe & Rosa Romano
Alexander Saksen, Esq.
Maria Padian & Conrad Schneider
Lorrie Ferrari & Tony Scucci
Rene & Victor Serio
Bryan J. Shumway
Donald J. Sipe, Esq.
Peter Sirois
Ursula & William Slavick
Harriet Conlin Smith
Mary & Christopher Stevens
Mary McCann, Ph.D. & Sidney St. F. Thaxter, Esq.
Kathy Tosney
Anne Underwood, Esq.
Margaret Zillioux & Robert Vilas
Lisa Wahlstrom
David Webbert, Esq.
Donna Yellen, M.S.W.