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The juxtaposition of same-sex "marriage" being approved in California with the raid on the Texan polygamists seems to have made a few people ponder the logical connection between homosexuality and polygamy -- and, in some cases unhappily, reflect that former senator Rick Santorum was right when he said the Supreme Court's Lawrence decision would lead to sexual arrangements few people now approve.   And if so, the Unitarians will have gotten there first. A few years ago, a group called Unitarian Universalists for Polyamory Awareness declared that they wanted to "take their place beside the divorced, the intentionally single,...

The United States has responded vigorously to this crisis. In 2003, I asked Congress to approve an emergency plan for AIDS relief. Our nation pledged $15 billion over five years for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in many of the poorest nations on Earth. In the years since, thanks to the support of the United States Congress and the American people, our country has met this pledge. This level of assistance is unprecedented, and the largest commitment by any nation to combat a single disease in human history.

A FRENCH gay group has been ordered to pay one euro in damages to Notre Dame cathedral in Paris for staging a mock "gay wedding" to protest against what it called the Catholic Church's homophobia. The Paris court that issued the ruling said the group, Act Up Paris, had violated the freedom of religion by staging the fake ceremony without permission from the cathedral.“The provocative act of June 2005 and the unrest it caused shocked many people of different faiths, whether believers or not, both in France and beyond,� the Paris archdiocese said.Act Up Paris said it was considering appealing...

In the continuing debate on same-sex “marriage,” proponents commonly highlight the 1,049 benefits extended by the federal government to couples united in marriage. They claim that such benefits and those of the states should also be extended to homosexual couples.  Indeed, this was the reasoning of the New Jersey’s Supreme Court judges who ruled that the state must extend state benefits to same-sex couples by the mere fact that they are analogous couples. In the name of a supposed equality of relationship, they mandated same-sex “marriage” or its exact equivalent on the Garden State.In face of this ruling, some fundamental...

Mexico City, Nov. 13, 2006 (CNA) - The Bishops’ Council of the Archdiocese of Mexico said last week a new law passed by the Mexico City legislature legalizing gay unions is a farce intended to placate minority groups.  The council also expressed support for Cardinal Norberto Rivera, who was harassed recently at the Cathedral of Mexico City. In a statement, the Council said the new norm, which opens the door to gay marriage, is a response to “minority and radical groups” and “shows contempt for the view of the majority of Catholics,” who “represent more than 80% of our city’s...

Washington DC, Jun. 12, 2006 (CNA) - Cardinal Theodore McCarrick issued a clarification Friday on remarks he made during an interview on CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. The interview had generated some concern among many Catholics. The cardinal said he recognized that his remarks could have given the wrong impression to people who took them out of context. “I’m afraid that I misspoke last Wednesday when I was being interviewed on CNN,” the cardinal wrote, referring to the June 7 interview. The cardinal explained that he and Blitzer were discussing the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment that had yet...

The Vatican today published a sweeping condemnation of contraception, abortion, in-vitro fertilisation and same-sex marriage, declaring that the traditional family has never been so threatened. The document was issued by the Pontifical Council for the Family, whose head, Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, is a strong opponent of the use of condoms under any circumstances. Gay activists in Italy condemned the report as a grotesque attack against modern life, freedom and social redemption.The 57-page document does not break any new ground but summarised traditional Vatican positions."Man of modern times has radicalised the tendency to take the place of God and substitute him," it...

VATICAN, January 30, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In an address to the leaders of the Christian Associations of Italian Workers Friday, Pope Benedict XVI warned, "As history demonstrates, a democracy without values easily turns into open or thinly disguised totalitarianism." Benedict was in fact making his own the statement first uttered by his predecessor John Paul II, who made the statement in 2000. (see coverage: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2000/feb/00022501.html ) Benedict XVI highlighted how, in our time, science and technology "present huge possibilities for improving everyone's lives," but warned that "the misguided use of such power can provoke grave and irreparable threats to the...

Tens of thousands of Italians protested on Saturday demanding legal recognition for gay unions and the right to abortion, two days after Pope Benedict condemned homosexual marriage and the use of the abortion pill.Clutching banners reading "We will no longer be silenced," the demonstrators, many women and gay couples, crammed into squares in Rome and financial capital Milan."We thought the church had withdrawn from interfering in Italian politics ... but instead there is a terrible resurgence. These are ugly signs for freedom of expression," Nobel literature laureate Dario Fo, a social campaigner, told reporters at the Milan protest.Police said 50,000...

CALGARY, September 29, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Calgary’s Bishop Fred Henry has come out swinging again, this time warning that the normalization of same-sex “marriage” will “usher in an era of intolerance and discrimination the likes of which we have rarely seen before.”In a pastoral letter published in the Calgary Sun on September 11, Bishop Henry warned that “Same-sex marriage proponents use the language of openness, tolerance and diversity, yet the foreseeable effect of their success will be to usher in an era of intolerance and discrimination the likes of which we have rarely seen before.”He warned that same-sex “marriage” and...

Every once in a while, a case comes along that makes me truly grateful to be a Catholic. Our Holy Mother Church has been looking out for us and trying to keep us out of trouble, even when we chafe at her constraints. But when I see the trouble people get themselves into, I am grateful for our Holy Mother’s foresight. That is how I felt when I read the California Supreme Court’s ruling on the April 22 case, K.M v. E.G. Perhaps you don’t remember a case by that name, but surely you remember the headlines: “California Establishes Lesbian...

SACRAMENTO, August 11, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The California Supreme Court said Wednesday that it would not hand down a ruling on the constitutionality of same-sex “marriage.” The decision means the issue remains open – a ruling welcomed by a pro-family group that is pushing for a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex “marriage” for the state.Executive Director of Campaign for California Families, Randy Thomasson, told the Associated Press, “It's very good that the high court declined to hear this case.” Thomasson had asked the court not to rule on the issue. “The high court should never turn marriage upside down...

Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada agreed not to encourage same-sex union blessings but fell short of placing a moratorium on such ceremonies. The House of Bishops also sidestepped a request that the church voluntarily withdraw from a key international Anglican meeting because of the same-sex marriage blessing issue. The Anglican Church of Canada, alongside its US counterpart, was asked to refrain from attending the Anglican Consultative Council in 2005 by churches worldwide. The U.S. Church decided to abide by the request last month but the Canadian church had not yet responded. During the House of Bishops' meeting in...

In a recent hour-long interview on the Drew Mariani Show on Relevant Radio, I praised Catholics worldwide for their unwavering stand on the right to life. Catholics have been among the leading voices behind saving countless numbers of God's most precious from a horrible, tortuous death in of all places — their mothers’ wombs. An Evil Agenda Puts the Pedal to the Metal Catholics, along with people of other faiths, have stood out in the rain, in the snow and the burning sun faithfully for decades, pleading with mothers not to do the unthinkable and murder their own children....

People who understand how bad an idea same-sex “marriage” really is owe a debt of gratitude to New York City trial court Judge Doris Ling-Cohan. Just when interest in a constitutional amendment to ban homosexual marriage seemed to be flagging, Judge Ling-Cohan's in-your-face ruling that homosexuals have a right to marry in the state pumped energy into the amendment drive. That aside, nevertheless, Bush's reading of the current situation must be taken seriously. He put it like this:The point is...that senators have made it clear that so long as DOMA [the Defense of Marriage Act] is deemed constitutional, nothing will...

TIMMINS, ON, February 9, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In conjunction with Campaign Life Coalition Timmins, a local pro-life and pro-family organization, Timmins Ontario Bishop Paul Marchand will participate in a peaceful, prayerful demonstration in front of the constituency office of Charlie Angus, Member of Parliament for Timmins - James Bay tomorrow. According to local organizers, the purpose of the demonstration is to protest Mr. Angus' position in favour of same sex legislation and to stress the importance of keeping the traditional definition of marriage as a union of one man and one women. A press release from the diocese notes that...

Deborah Chymyshyn and Tracey Smith found just the hall they wanted to rent for their wedding reception. It was located behind a church in the Vancouver suburb of Port Coquitlam and managed by the Knights of Columbus, an organization they thought was the same as the Elks.That mistake -- confusing the Elks with the Knights -- has taken them into the epicentre of the national debate on same-sex marriage, with Stephen Harper and the federal Conservatives citing the couple as Exhibit A in the Tories' declaration that government legislation unveiled yesterday permitting homosexuals to marry will result in severe assaults...

The Vatican again on Saturday strongly condemned same-sex marriages as well as states which have legalised the practice, during an audience between Pope John Paul II and members of the Holy See's top appeals court. "Homosexual unions and cohabitation cannot be considered as marriages," Polish Cardinal Antoni Stankiewicz, the most senior judge on the Roman Rota, stressed in an address to the pope. "To treat homosexual unions the same as marriages, as has been done under the laws of certain countries, does not make them any more valid, whether or not they are legal," he said. The Roman Catholic Church...

LONDON, January 14, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Roman Catholic bishop of London Ontario, Ronald P. Fabbro, has asked his flock to begin lobbying their MP’s against the proposal to change the definition of marriage to include homosexual partnerings. “I ask you to take an active role in defending the traditional meaning of marriage as the union of one man and one woman,” Fabbro wrote in a letter dated January 5th. “As Catholics, we have a duty to make our voices heard in the public realm. These are momentous and far-reaching decisions that are being made. Your members of Parliament need...

MADRID, Spain, JAN. 13, 2005 (Zenit.org).- The Spanish government on Dec. 30 gave the green light to legislation that would allow same-sex "marriage" and adoption of children. Criticism arose in Spain because, among other things, the decision by the Cabinet did not heed the opinion of the Council of State, the highest consultative organ. Nor was the legislation sent to the Judicial Power's General Council. Further, critics say, the legislation disregarded the social debate, and did not respond to a real demand -- only 0.11% of surveyed couples in the country are homosexual. The Spanish Forum of the Family (FEF),...

CALGARY, January 13, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In what is likely to be the most effective, and strongest letter ever issued by a Canadian Bishop in defence of traditional marriage, Calgary's Bishop Fred Henry is to release a pastoral letter this weekend which cuts to the heart of the debate. Bishop Henry, who recently courageously stood up to threats by Revenue Canada agents over his pre-election comments about the Prime Minister's moral incoherence on abortion and same-sex unions, writes: "Since homosexuality, adultery, prostitution and pornography undermine the foundations of the family, the basis of society, then the State must use its...

REGINA, January 5, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Eight Saskatchewan marriage commissioners have resigned because of new laws requiring them to "marry" same-sex couples, according to Justice Minister Frank Quennell. Three others said they would go to court if they were fired for refusing to "marry" same-sex couples, according to Saskatoon Conservative MP Maurice Vellacott. If same-sex couples are refused "marriage" by a commissioner, the complaint will be reviewed by the Justice Department, Quennell said Tuesday, as reported by the Saskatchewan News Network. "We'd have to investigate the circumstances and potentially remove their power to perform civil marriages because they weren't willing...

Homosexual Agenda: Categorical Index of Links (Revision 1.1) Category Year Title Posted On FreeRepublic Adoption   2002 Pediatrics Group Endorses Homosexual Adoption     Trophy children Yes Bible   2003 What Does the Bible Say About Homosexuality, Adultery...     What does the Bible actually say about being gay? Yes     The Christian Confronted by Homosexuality Yes     Talmud on Homosexuality     Is banning the Bible next?     Christianity and Homosexuality Yes     A divisive debate over the Bible spotlighted Episcopalians' OK for gay bishop   2002 Responding to Pro-Gay Theology   1999 The...

A state constitutional ban on same-sex marriages will soon go before the Legislature and voters for approval if the state's Southern Baptists get their way. The Florida Baptist Convention, which holds its 150th annual meeting Monday and Tuesday in Jacksonville, is expected to call for the passage of a state constitutional amendment upholding the "biblical definition" of marriage between one man and one woman. "We're going to begin some type of process of saying we want to see a state marriage amendment similar to what was passed in other states this election," said the Rev. Tommy Green, pastor of First...

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Years from now, when all the analysis is over, historians might point to a specific moment in the 2004 campaign for president when the tide turned in favor of Republican President George W. Bush over his Democratic challenger, Sen. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts. It was early July, two weeks before the Democratic convention, and Bush was speaking out in favor of the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would amend the U.S. Constitution to define marriage as the union of a man and a woman. "Because families pass along values and shape character, traditional marriage is also critical...

Difficult church-state issues pose dilemma for McGreevey   Tuesday, April 20, 2004 By JOSH GOHLKE TRENTON BUREAU The Bible says Jesus suggested a distinction between the concerns of Caesar, the head of state, and those of God.New Jersey's current Caesar, Governor McGreevey, has repeatedly confronted that conflict. An avowed Catholic and a product of parochial schools, he has often supported policies that collide with church teachings - from his stance in favor of abortion rights to his active advocacy of stem-cell research. With increasing boldness, Catholic leaders have taken critical notice.The governor's differences with the church started even before he...

WASHINGTON – Supporters of gay marriage routinely accuse Republicans of using gay marriage as a "wedge issue" to energize conservatives. They also have wrapped their cause in the rhetoric of civil rights, comparing the proposed constitutional ban to Jim Crow laws and other long-discredited forms of oppression. So it may be no coincidence that at the last Senate hearing on the ban, chaired by Texas Sen. John Cornyn, Republican lawmakers went out of their way to highlight support among minority religious leaders. Survey after survey shows that minority voters are far less comfortable with gay marriage than whites. Is the...

<p>Social conservatives won two key victories Thursday at the Capitol during a day that featured emotional debates about gay marriage and a 24-hour waiting period for abortions.</p> <p>The Arizona Senate gave its final approval to the informed-consent abortion bill, which still faces a possible veto by Gov. Janet Napolitano. And the House Judiciary Committee approved a resolution calling for Congress to ban gay marriages after a tense hearing plunging the state into the national debate.</p>

<p>COLUMBUS, OHIO – Lawmakers gave final approval Wednesday to a measure banning gay marriage and prohibiting state employees from getting benefits for domestic partners.</p> <p>The bill is considered among the most far-reaching in the nation because of the benefits ban, which applies to unmarried heterosexual and homosexual couples.</p>

In a strongly worded letter to be read at Mass this weekend, the bishops also said the Supreme Judicial Court's mid-May deadline for the Legislature to rewrite marriage laws to provide benefits for gay couples is too rushed. The bishops, among the leading opponents of the ruling, urged parishioners "to contact the governor and their state legislators to urge them to find a way to give our citizens more time to deal with this issue." Boston Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley and Bishops Thomas Dupre, Daniel P. Reilly and George Coleman also complained that the state high court ruling promotes "divisions...

Clerics join rally for GAY civil unions   Wednesday, October 15, 2003 By RUTH PADAWER and YUNG KIMSTAFF WRITERS MONTCLAIR - Clerics joined gay and lesbian rights activists from around the state Tuesday to support civil unions.About 200 people squeezed into a hall at Montclair State University and offered enthusiastic applause and amens for the right of same-sex couples to marry.A line of clergy members waiting to speak in support of the movement extended around the room and included priests, pastors, rabbis, and ministers.Among those in the line was the Right Rev. John P. Croneberger, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese...

<p>Should marriage be legally defined as only a union between a man and a woman?</p>

INTRODUCTION1. In recent years, various questions relating to homosexuality have been addressed with some frequency by Pope John Paul II and by the relevant Dicasteries of the Holy See.(1) Homosexuality is a troubling moral and social phenomenon, even in those countries where it does not present significant legal issues. It gives rise to greater concern in those countries that have granted or intend to grant – legal recognition to homosexual unions, which may include the possibility of adopting children. The present Considerations do not contain new doctrinal elements; they seek rather to reiterate the essential points on this question and...