Connecticut Bishops Decry Judicial Effort to Redefine Marriage

The Catholic Conference of Connecticut is now encouraging citizens to vote for a Constitutional Convention to Protect True Marriage.

HARTFORD, Connecticut (Zenit) - Prelates from Connecticut lamented what they called a situation of just four people choosing to redefine the institution of marriage for their whole state.

The bishops decried a 4-3 Connecticut Supreme Court vote on Friday that opens the state to becoming the third to allow same-sex marriages. Massachusetts and California already have redefined the legal understanding of marriage.

A statement from the Connecticut Catholic Conference, offered "on behalf of the Catholic bishops, clergy, religious and laity of the state of Connecticut -- more than 1.3 million people," expressed disappointment "in this close 4-3 decision by the Connecticut Supreme Court, which imposes the recognition of same-sex marriage upon the people of Connecticut. This decision is in direct conflict with the position of our state legislature and courts of other states and is a terribly regrettable exercise in judicial activism."

"Four people have not just extended a supposed civil right to a particular class of individuals, but have chosen to redefine the institution of marriage," the statement said. "The Connecticut Supreme Court has taken upon itself to make a determination that other courts throughout our nation have felt should be made through the political process. [...]

"It appears our state Supreme Court has forgotten that courts should interpret laws and legislatures should make laws."

The Catholic Conference further warned that the decision "raises a very real concern about the infringement on religious liberty and freedom of speech with the judicial imposition of same-sex marriage."

"The real battle in this court case was not about rights, since civil unions provide a vast number of legal rights to same-sex couples, but about conferring and enforcing social acceptance of a particular lifestyle; a lifestyle many people of faith and advocates of the natural law refuse to accept," the statement affirmed.

The Catholic Conference is now encouraging citizens to vote for a Constitutional Convention on election day, which they hope could pave the way for a definition of marriage as exclusively between a man and woman.