Catholic Minnesota Marriage Amendment Project

The Meaning of Marriage

Our Catholic faith holds that marriage is a faithful, exclusive, lifelong union of a man and a woman joined in an intimate community of life and love. A man and a woman commit themselves completely to each other and to the wondrous responsibility of bringing children into the world and caring for them. The call to marriage is woven deeply into the human spirit.

Today there is an escalating crisis surrounding the meaning of marriage in our culture. There are those who are advocating the equity of same-sex unions, challenging the traditional view of marriage and the family. In light of the recent attacks on marriage, we all must work towards strengthening people's understanding of the meaning and purpose of marriage and to reinvigorate them to faithfully live and support this vocation.

To promote, preserve, and protect marriage today requires, among other things, that we advocate for legislative and public policy initiatives that define and support marriage as a unique, essential relationship and institution. At a time when family life is under significant stress, the principled defense of marriage is an urgent necessity to ensure the flourishing of persons, the well-being of children, and the common good of society.

Marriage in Minnesota

The Minnesota marriage amendment bill was originally introduced in our state legislature in April 2004. The bill has been repeatedly blocked by Democrats in the state legislature who want to deny the citizens of Minnesota the same right that has been offered to voters in 30 other states.

Poll have repeatedly shown that a over 60% of Minnesotans believe that voters should be allowed to vote on the marriage amendment. But instead of allowing the people to decide the future of marriage, Democrats have now introduced bills to legalize same-sex 'marriage' in Minnesota (see HF893 and HF999).

Lessons from Other States

The real objective of homosexual activists in their push to legalize same-sex unions is to force their lifestyle upon all members of our society and silence anyone who would dare to speak-out against it. Click on the image to watch a video produced last year in support of the California marriage amendment illustrating just one of the many impacts of legalizing same-sex marriage.

Please also read What Same-Sex Marriage Has Done to Massachusetts.

Read Banned in Boston discussing how Catholic Charities was forced to exist the adoption business.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Statement

There is to be no separation between one's faith and life in either public or private realms. All Catholics should act on their beliefs with a well-formed conscience based on sacred scripture and tradition. They should be a community of conscience within society. By their voice and their vote, they should contribute to society's welfare and test its public life by the standards of right reason and Gospel truth. Responsible citizenship is a virtue. Participation in the political process is a moral obligation. This is particularly urgent in light of the need to defend marriage and to oppose the legalization of same-sex unions as marriages.