BY JOHN T. CURRAN
Bishop Robert Barron, Chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, made the news recently.
On the surface, he dished out respectable quotes decrying the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act. The Act, H.R. 8404, “codifies the nationwide redefinition of marriage to include same-sex couples in Federal statute for the first time” (USCCB 12/1/22). It also heightens persistent threats to religious liberty after the 2015 Supreme Court of the United States Obergefell v. Hodge decision that forced states to issue LGBTQ+ “marriage” licenses throughout the United States.
The Respect for Marriage Act is Orwellian double-speak for what should be called the Dis-respect for Marriage Act.
Bishop Barron stated, “Much of society has lost sight of the purpose of marriage and now equates it with adults’ companionship.”, Cardinal Dolan of New York joins in to say, “It is deeply concerning that the U.S. Senate has voted to proceed with the Respect for Marriage Act.”
This sounds all well and good coming from Church leaders. However, it is a half-truth.
Bishop Barron did not clarify what he meant by “society.” In truth, it is the Democratic Party that has lost sight of the purpose of marriage. In the roll call vote on July 17th, 220 Democrats voted “Yea” for the Dis-respect for Marriage Act, and NO Democrat voted against it. Bishop Barron, if interested in disseminating the whole truth, could have at least expressed that ALL of the Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives have lost sight of the purpose of marriage. By using the cover of “society,” Bishop Barron avoids tarnishing the Democrats, which Bishops are loathed to do.
Cardinal Dolan of NYC and Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Religious Freedom meanwhile chimes in with his “concern” about the U.S. Senate’s vote. If he had said it was “deeply concerning” that all the Democrats in the Senate (not the entire Senate) voted to proceed with the Dis-Respect for Marriage Act he would have been more truthful. On November 29, 2022, the U.S. Senate voted 62 to 37 in favor of the Dis- respect of Marriage Act. 60 votes were required for passage; it barely passed. Again, as did Bishop Barron, Cardinal Dolan sidestepped the truth. He failed to point out that every single Democrat vote in the Senate was in favor of the Dis-respect for Marriage Act! True, 12 Republicans joined the Democrats. One, Sen. Todd Young, is shamefully from Indiana, but the point is that during all the voting leading to the final passage, not a single Democrat in either the House or Senate voted against the Disrespect for Marriage Bill.
Yes, Bishop Barron and Cardinal Dolan, your leadership is failing your flocks. What shepherd would tell his sheep, “There are wolves in the sheep pen,” and not tell them which of the sheep were actually wolves wearing sheepskins? The failure of the Bishops to call out the Democrats is a curious enigma. Is it a manifestation of the Church of Nice? Or is it that telling the truth may offend Democrats who claim to be Catholics? Or could it be fear of loss of donations from Democrats? Yes, sometimes the truth hurts. Jesus never minced words or spoke half-truths. Is it an addiction of generational loyalty to the Democrat party, a party that is NOT the party of past generations? Is it an irrational fear of mixing politics with religion? Telling the truth (voting records) is not political – it is black and white Truth.
Whatever it is, it is a problem of failure of leadership. If you, dear reader, have read this far, it was all a waste of time unless you resolve to amp up your prayers, sacrifices, and fasting for the intentions of our Cardinals, Bishops, and suffering priests to be true Shepherds of their flocks.
