24-May-2004 -- Catholic World News Brief
Worcester, May. 24 (CWNews.com) - A Massachusetts
bishop has warned Catholics that they should not be involved in the legal
recognition of same-sex unions.
Just a week after his installation as head of the Worcester diocese, Bishop
Robert McManus issued a strong statement teaching same-sex "marriages"
are "clear and serious violations of the law of god and moral teaching of
the Roman Catholic Church. In no way can they be in line with Catholic
teaching."
City and town clerks in Massachusetts began granting marriage licenses to
same-sex couples on May 17: the day after Bishop McManus assumed his new
episcopal duties. Referring to the court decision that authorized same-sex
unions, the new bishop said: "The judicial decision of a court can never
make morally right what is by nature morally wrong."
In the most striking passage of his statement, Bishop McManus cautioned
Catholics that they must not become involved in granting legal approval to
homosexual unions. He wrote:
Moreover, it must be pointed out that Catholics, especially public officials,
who willingly and with approval facilitate the legal sanctioning of same-sex
unions are involving themselves in cooperation with evil. Such cooperation is
not free from serious moral and spiritual harm.
Bishop McManus issued his statement-- which was published in the diocesan
newspaper, the Catholic Free Press-- in immediate response to a statement by
Worcester's city clerk, David Rushford. Rushford, who is Catholic, had said that
by granting licenses to same-sex couples, he was upholding Church teaching on
"inclusivity, universality, and respect for the dignity of each
individual." Bishop McManus quickly replied that "Mr. Rushford's
opinion, as stated, is morally incorrect and pastorally misleading."