San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller reacts to same-sex Supreme Court rulings

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Archdiochese released the following statement from Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller concerning the U.S. Supreme Court's same-gender marriage decision:

"The decisions made by the U.S. Supreme Court concerning same-gender marriage, I believe weaken the family and negatively impacts our society. I support the statement issued by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), marking this as a "Tragic day for marriage and our nation."
This characterization reflects the seriousness and sadness we feel in response to the court's striking down, in part, the federal Defense of Marriage Act, and refusing to hear the California Proposition 8 appeal.
I join with Cardinal Timothy Dolan, President of the USCCB, in declaring that "The court got it wrong" as it ignored that marriage is a sacred institution defined by the unique union of one man and one woman. The court's decision does not in any way change the Catholic Church's fundamental teaching about marriage or its celebration of the sacrament of matrimony.
This truth is reflected in the long-standing values of the people of the state of Texas that acknowledges the definition of marriage as fundamental to the common good. I feel that today's decisions shows their lack of understanding that the sanctity of the marriage bond between a man and a woman is critical to the health of the family and the whole society.
In the words of Cardinal Dolan, "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 father."
Though the legal ramifications are not fully known, today, we Catholics, and those who join us in support of God's eternal truth, must do all that is necessary to strengthen the institution of marriage."


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David Ibañez has been managing editor of KSAT.com since the website's launch in October 2000.