THE CASE ON GAY MARRIAGE IN CALIFORNIA GOES TO THE FEDERAL COURTS..........

Twice in the past decade California voters have faced the issue of legalizing marriage between homosexual persons. In both elections the voters have said, No to same sex marriage. The second of those statewide ballot propositions, Proposition 8, was placed before the California electorate in November 2008, after the State Supreme Court by a 4-3 ruling declared marriage between gay persons constitutional. On January 11, 2010, a legal case contesting Proposition 8, opened before a federal judge in San Francisco. With the State Supreme Court having previously narrowly, but affirmatively, finding in favor of same sex marriage, the Yes on Prop. 8, vote having passed with a majority of only 52% of the electorate, and the usual liberal leanings of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, the outcome of this current court case is unpredictable. The belief in Marriage held by the Catholic Church is that it is a sacrament of Covenant Love, which is Unitive and Procreative, between a husband and wife. The wording of the two California ballot initiatives in the past decade describe Marriage as being between, "One Man, and One Woman", only. Supporters of equal rights for homosexuals and extending the benefits of civil unions and same sex marriages has grown in the past decade to now include 6 European countries, and 5 States in our country, that have legalized gay marriages. Current polls in California and in much of the United States find persons under age 30, are increasingly in support of homosexual rights and same sex marriage. My questions about this emerging issue for you is whether the legality and constitutionality of marriage is inevitable and will be extended to all our citizens in the future ? If indeed, that is the direction public support and court decisions take this issue, can our sacramental, religious, and spiritual, definition of Christian marriage, between a male husband, and a female wife, co-exist unaffected by a civil, legal, constitutional, definition of societal marriage, between same sex spouses ? The federal courts, including and up to, The Supreme Court of the United States, may have the definitive word in deciding this controversial, cutting edge, concern in California and our nation.........Keep the Faith and Promote the Common Good, Fr. Troy