June 26: Defending Marriage

Welcome to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Today is June 26th, and our story is Defending Marriage. In 2013, six Catholics sat on the U.S. Supreme Court. Nevertheless, on June 26, 2013, the court ruled in a 5-4 decision that the federal government must recognize same-sex marriages when the couple's home states do so.

Anything less, asserted Catholic Justice Anthony Kennedy, was a violation of the Fifth Amendment. In a statement released that day, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said, Today is a tragic day for marriage and our nation. The Supreme Court has dealt a profound injustice to the American people by striking down, in part, the Federal Defense of Marriage Act. The court got it wrong. The federal government ought to respect the truth that marriage is the union of one man and one woman, even where states fail to do so.

The preservation of liberty and justice requires that all laws, federal and state, respect the truth, including the truth about marriage. Marriage is the only institution that brings together a man and a woman for life, providing any child who comes from their union with the secure foundation of a mother and a father.

Our culture has taken for granted for far too long what human nature, experience, common sense, and God's wise design all confirm. The difference between a man and a woman matters, and the difference between a mom and a dad matters.

While the culture has failed in many ways to be marriage-strengthening, this is no reason to give up. Now is the time to strengthen marriage, not redefine it. When Jesus taught about the meaning of marriage, the lifelong, exclusive union of husband and wife, he pointed back to the beginning of God's creation of the human person as male and female. See Matthew 19.

In the face of the customs and laws of his time, Jesus taught an unpopular truth that everyone could understand. The truth of marriage endures, and we will continue to boldly proclaim it with confidence and charity. This moment reminds us that some truths are enduring, regardless of cultural trends. Defending marriage requires courage, clarity, and charity. Faith calls us to uphold principles with both conviction and compassion, recognizing the broader implications for society and future generations. Cultural challenges may prompt debate, but standing firm in truth while loving others is a witness to moral clarity.

The Church's teaching on marriage reflects not only doctrine, but wisdom about human flourishing, the dignity of family, and the protection of children and society. Consider one way you can support marriage, family, or moral truth in your community with both clarity and kindness. Thank you for listening to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Join us tomorrow, June 27th, for another story of faith and courage in America.