Bishop Thomas John Paprocki joined the bishops of Illinois in a statement calling upon the Illinois General Assembly to reject legislation that would establish civil unions in the state. The bill was to have been brought to the House floor for a vote on Nov. 30, as Catholic Times went to press.

The Catholic Conference of Illinois (CCI) released the statement Nov. 23, from its Chicago office. The CCI is the public policy arm of the six Catholic dioceses in Illinois.

Senate Bill 1716 seeks to afford all the “legal obligations, responsibilities, protections, and benefits” of marriage to individuals in a civil union, the statement said.

Bishop Paprocki disagreed. “Our culture’s misunderstanding of the proper purpose of sexuality can be seen in the misguided efforts to legalize ‘civil unions’ and ‘same-sex marriage,’ often led unfortunately by Catholic politicians who mistakenly think that they are promoting a civil rights issue rather than trying to redefine a social institution that has existed since the beginning of civilization and that they have no moral authority to change.

“Voters in Iowa recently recalled three judges from their supreme court who had voted to legalize same-sex marriages. Voters in Illinois should do the same with politicians who disregard the moral foundations of marriage and family life as between one man and one woman,” Bishop Paprocki said.

“Everyone has a right to marry, but no one has the right to change the nature of marriage,” the bishops’ statement said.

Chicago Archbishop Francis George agreed, “Marriage is what it is and always has been, no matter what a legislature decides to do; however, the public understanding of marriage will be negatively affected by passage of a bill that ignores the natural fact that sexual complementarity is at the core of marriage.”

The statement pointed out that the impact of the legislation on the church’s social service ministries remains unclear.

“This important legislation is being put before a lame-duck General Assembly and more should be done to engage the people in public debate,” the statement said.

In a news release accompanying the bishops’ statement, the Catholic Conference said, “Marriage was not invented by either the state or the church, and neither can change its nature. However, laws structure society, and they influence patterns of behavior and thought. In our country, as in most others, marriage is granted unique protections and benefits under the law because marriage is the foundation of family and society. The proposed legislation would further weaken an already fragile institution.

“There is an inherent conflict between this legislation and religious liberty,” the statement continued.

The CCI said that the bill presents “an conflict between this legislation and religious liberty.” Without protections, it said, the General Assembly or the courts might:

• Mandate that faith-based institutions providing adoption or foster care services be required to place adoptive or foster children with couples who have entered into a same-sex civil union.

• Require that Catholic parishes or Catholic agencies providing social services (including retreats, religious camps, homeless shelters, senior care centers and community centers) be compelled to provide these services to individuals who are in a same-sex civil union.

• Refuse to protect small employers who do not wish to extend family benefits to employees in a same sex civil union.

“The enactment of marriage-like benefits in civil union legislation will intensify the legal attack on marriage,” the bishops’ statement said. “It will not  appease those who wish to redefine the

institution of marriage. We need only look to California, Connecticut and other states where nearly identical legislation was passed. In every state where citizens have had the right to vote on marriage, they consistently express their support for marriage as the union of one man and one woman. 

“There are literally hundreds of references to married ‘spouses’ throughout Illinois’ law to which parties to a civil union will now be included. These references are not limited to hospital visitation rights (which are already afforded same sex couples via presidential executive order) or property rights (which can be provided for through legal arrangements). They include benefits from the state Pension Code, the legal guardianship of children and other provisions that govern married life in Illinois.”

The statement pointed out that the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that homosexuals “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity.”

“Accordingly, we stand ready to work with the legislature and other agencies of state government to prevent unjust discrimination and to provide benefits to people judged by the civic authority as deserving — as long as such provision does not include the attempted redefinition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman for the sake of family,” the statement said.

The bishops’ statement concluded by asking Catholics to call their state representative and senator immediately and urge them to vote NO on Senate Bill 1716.

To find your state legislators, go to www.catholicconferenceofillinois.org and click on “Your Elected Officials” on the right side of the homepage or call The Catholic Conference of Illinois at (312) 368-1066 or (217) 528-9200.