Pray for Courageous Bishop Thomas Tobin, the Defender of Marriage and Family

By Deacon Keith Fournier
5/12/2012
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

I ask every reader of Catholic Online throughout the whole world, to pray for courageous Bishop Thomas Tobin, the Defender of Marriage and Family

The decision of President Barack Obama to endorse same-sex marriage is extremely disappointing, but not at all surprising. This is a very divisive and devious president who, from the beginning of his administration has actively pursued a liberal, secular agenda that discards fundamental moral values including respect for human life, and religious freedom. This is a sad day in American history. Even the President of the United States does not have the authority to redefine the sacred institution of marriage that has been given to us by God. (Bishop Thomas Tobin)

Pray for courageous Bishop Thomas Tobin, the Defender of Marriage and Family

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PROVIDENCE, RI (Catholic Online) - Thomas J. Tobin is the Bishop of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island. He has stood strong in his defense of the dignity of every human person from conception to natural death as well as his defense of true marriage and the family and society founded upon it. He has tried to help erring Catholics, including Catholic politicians in his own Diocese, to turn from error and turn toward the truth. He is solid as a rock in his orthodoxy, but always defends the faith with a pastor's heart.

In June of 2011, Rhode Island passed "civil union" legislation. The Bishop knew that such legislation was dangerous to the common good. He recognized that the continuing moral erosion of our culture which has as one of its bad fruits, the movement to eliminate marriage and the family and society founded upon it by giving a moral and legal equivalency to homosexual relationships.

The legislation contained what are called "religious exemptions". However, a group of homosexual equivalency activists who called themselves "Marriage Equality Rhode Island", who represent the "LGBTI" (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender and Intersex) community issued this statement upon the passage of the legislation:

"We are extremely disappointed that the Senate brazenly ignored the commonsense objections raised by equality and civil rights leaders here and across the country. This civil union bill contains dangerous and discriminatory language that, without question, will cause significant harm to countless gay and lesbian couples in loving, committed relationships, and we will continue to fight it through whatever means are necessary."

"Furthermore, we renew our request that the governor veto this hurtful and ill conceived bill. To not do so would be a slap in the face to the gay and lesbian community, and every Rhode Islander who cares about equal rights and protections for all our state's citizens."

As a constitutional lawyer who has practiced public interest law to defend life, marriage and religious freedom, I know the way that Public Interest Lawyers utilize litigation. The mix of "homosexual marriage" and "civil union" legislation throughout the Nation is part of a deliberate strategy. It will be used by lawyers for the homosexual equivalency movement in their ultimate goal. They want to set up a 14th Amendment "Equal Protection" constitutional argument with which they will seek to use the US Supreme Court to try and compel the entire Nation to recognize homosexual unions as the legal equivalent of marriage.

The cases are being set up in much the same way the opponents of the Right to Life used the Courts, beginning with Griswold V Connecticut in 1965, to lay the groundwork for legalized abortion on demand. Griswold was a 'contraception" case involving a married couple which went to the Supreme Court and led to the precedent establishing a "zone of privacy". That set up the infamous Roe and Doe opinions which removed all legal protection for our youngest neighbors and unleashed the horrible bloodshed on abortion on demand by finding a penumbra in that "right to privacy" which somehow allowed the taking of unborn life. Griswold was filed by the Executive Director of Planned Parenthood of Connecticut.

Bishop Tobin issued a statement upon the passage of that Civil Union legislation in which he wrote: "I am deeply disappointed that Rhode Island will establish civil unions in our state. The concept of civil unions is a social experiment that promotes an immoral lifestyle, is a mockery of the institution of marriage as designed by God, undermines the well-being of our families, and poses a threat to religious liberty.

"In this context it is my obligation to remind Catholics of the teachings of the Church on this matter. First, the Church continues to have respect and love for persons with same-sex attraction; they are indeed children of God and our brothers and sisters in the human family. We pray for their well-being and offer them spiritual guidance and pastoral care. We also extend our love and support to families of homosexual persons who sometimes struggle with this difficult emotional issue."

"At the same time, the Church reminds its members that homosexual activity is contrary to the natural law and the will of God and, therefore, is objectively sinful. Persons with same-sex attraction are required to live the Christian virtues of chastity and modesty, as all persons are. The importance of these virtues is clearly established in the Holy Scriptures and in the constant tradition of the Church."

"Because civil unions promote an unacceptable lifestyle, undermine the faith of the Church on holy matrimony, and cause scandal and confusion, Catholics may not participate in civil unions. To do so is a very grave ...

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1 - 10 of 20 Comments

Kathy
1 year ago
Oh boy, my favorite subject......yikes!!!! KarlVDH, while this may not hurt you directly, it does hurt the institution of marriage itself. Our faith and family centers around marriage, and for that to be somehow made meaningless by having two women or two men...or one man and several women...whatever it may be....instead of one man and one woman, who come together as a couple to raise a family in the traditional mannor, dishonors
God and what He has joined together in Holy matrimony. In the long run it does hurt us all, because its not right for one, and sinful for another to not be married as a man and a women. We either believe in Gods law, or we don't. I choose to believe that God is right in all things.
KarlVDH
1 year ago
Jane, respectfully, that's nonsense. It doesn't hurt my kids, my neighborhood or my family at all. Know why? because I'm a responsible parent, and I CAN handle teaching my OWN kids if there's something around that's contrary to our beliefs. I CAN make sure I know who they're around, where they are and what they're doing. I CAN teach them that above all, they're to treat people with dignity and respect, even if they cannot agree with or personally participate in what they do or say, and I can ABSOLUTELY be a grown-up and take responsibility myself for what comes into my home.
So, in short, the answer is obvious: we're Catholic. There's no threat. Nothing about gay marriage threatens me or my family at all.
Unless I'm a lazy, good for nothing and expect the Church, the Government, the schools or simply society to be responsible for my family and our values... instead of ME.
jane
1 year ago
TO KarlVDH:

It hurts your family by causing spiritual and psychological harm to your children and the community’s children by being exposed to a sinful and depraved lifestyle, and perpetuating the lie that homosexual acts are normal, healthy, and good. Gay/lesbian couples live in our neighborhoods; their children go to school with our children. Families commonly socialize with one another. The children of the homosexual “marriage/union” are being exposed to and indoctrinated into a sinful and depraved lifestyle. Whenever sin is committed, the whole community and society at large are affected. Because the GLBT community is asking for their disordered lifestyle to be given legal equivalency to marriage, we, individually and as a society, are being asked to participate in their sin. And by supporting the legislation to validate their lifestyle, we are providing the occasion for them to continue sinning. If the issue is going to be brought to the community to be voted on, I am going to vote according to my conscience informed by my Catholic faith, and support those running for office who do the same.
KarlVDH
1 year ago
I have to ask, because I see the rhetoric all the time. Here, marriage is being "defended." So is the family. Often, we read about how the family and marriage are "threatened" by gay marriage.

May I ask HOW?

I'm married with kids. Fine family. If a gay couple gets married, how exactly does it affect my marriage or family? What exactly is the threat here to my family? What are we being "defended" against? Specifically? What happens to my family and my marriage if a gay couple gets married?

Anyone?
billbob
1 year ago
Somebody tell me if Joe Biden's remarks are enough to bring excommunication. Please.
ANNE
1 year ago
Yes, pray for this good Bishop, and all Catholic Bishops.
Please also pray that they actively encourage and promote the reading and studying of the "CATECHISM of the CATHOLIC CHURCH, Second Edition" so all will accurately know the truth of what the Church teaches and what Catholics are required to adhere to.
All sexual activity outside of marriage (- defined as being between one man and one woman) is a Mortal Sin.
If all Bishops in the USA make all their Priests and Nuns and Laity read the CCC - there will be no room for disagreement on matters of Faith and Morals.
Both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict want us to read the CCC.
“….the Catechism has raised throughout the world, even among non-Christians, and confirms its purpose of being presented as a full, complete exposition of Catholic doctrine, enabling everyone to know what the Church professes, celebrates, lives, and prays in her daily life.” – Pope John Paul II (pg xiv)
abey
1 year ago
To the day when man thinks himself to be God in the "feel good" of Liberals except that unto God it becomes the Abomination of desolations which in the literal sense mean the height of Pride far surpassing the truth, in simple understanding how can a person be God if they need help to find their own own back & Obama's way is to define it through a civil which in the truth is a backdoor to a (spiritual) illegal union, illegal because by the origin it does not exist which is to a fiddle hole way that does not go to heaven, for nothing does go to its required destiny other than The Word . A complacent Catholic/Christian to the word thinks his Church to be a Club like the masons to the Biblical words of the great falling away., when the flood be against, dip your oars.& hold the boat against the tide, done in the faith.
j
1 year ago
Thanks for your article Deacon Fournier! I agree wholeheartedly. We need more courageous bishops and clergy standing up in the pulpit and elsewhere, willing to defend life and marriage. Men like Tobin, Chaput, and Dolan have the wisdom, intelligence and foresight to see where we are heading. Would that more join them. I have some observations regarding our response to the recent stance our president took on gay marriage and before that the HHS ruling and even before on abortion. I have just finished reading Apostoli's Fatima for Today. I found a reference to it here at catholic.org and am grateful for the lead. To those who have yet to read it, please do so. Read it while keeping in mind what we are now experiencing in our country. Upon reading Fatima for Today, it seems to me that what Our Blessed Mother said to the children back in 1917 is as relevant now as then. She called the children and really all of us to prayer and penance. Remember when the HHS ruling was first announced? It seemed as though all priests and bishops were united in calling for the laity to pray and fast in response to the ruling. Since then little has been said, at least in our church, in regards to how best to respond to this crisis, other than the usual call for letters to our representatives in congress. There has also been an announcement about a fortnight of action beginning on July 4, but can't we be doing something now? I can't help but see that there is little or no notice of the Religious Freedom Rally being held before the 4th of July. The next rally is scheduled for the 8th of June in cities throughout the country. The first was March 23rd. Can't we publicize these more and urge more Catholics and other folks to participate? It also seems to me that faithful Catholics in the pews are hungry for direction. As one example of what can be done, isn't it time that we took to heart what Our Blessed Mother called for way back in 1917? Please allow me to make the following suggestion. We can start with public recitation of the Rosary both before and after daily Mass, in small as well as large groups. Some who are reading this may be saying, we do recite the rosary in our parish. My response is if you do, then why not in all parishes throughout this great country of ours?
Robert Burford
1 year ago
Hard to follow the sermon of John Paul II. Interesting how the daily reading for today hits home for the topic. Today 05/11/2012. reading from Acts 15:29 reads." you are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from ILLICIT MARRIAGES. Avoid these, and you will do what is RIGHT. Farewell. "
KarlVDH
1 year ago
Maybe someone could show me where Jesus promises us a happ, comfortable place to live while in this life... or the part where we ought to trust one political leader over another... or the fact that politics should even be the sphere in which real Christians live and move to make a difference in this world.
Anyone? Any scripture reference would be great. Otherwise, we spend way, way too much time whining and moralizing about Caesar and politics, too precious little DOING anything to improve lives around us.
We have it way too easy in America. And it shows.

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