Dolan: Will Next Step Be Multiple-Partner Marriage?

Excerpt from a column by New York Archbishop Dolan:

The Church has always stood-up for marriage — one man and one woman, united in lifelong and faithful love, leading to new life in children – whenever and wherever it was in danger.  Veterans my age and over can remember sixty years ago when we fought widespread, no-fault divorce, convinced it would lead to a cheapening of the marriage bond and harm our kids (as, of course, scholarly studies now report has, indeed, happened).  Recall how the Church resisted the “contraceptive mentality,” fearing it would rupture the sacred bond between love and the procreation of children.  Then, remember how the Church sounded the alarm over rising rates of promiscuity, adultery, pre-marital sex, and cohabitation prior to or instead of marriage. 

And now we ring the steeple bell again at this latest dilution of the authentic understanding of marriage, worried that the next step will be another redefinition to justify multiple partners and infidelity.  If you think I’m exaggerating, within days of the passage of this bill, one major newspaper ran a flattering profile of a proponent of what was called “nonmonogamy.” Apparently, “nonmonogamy” is the idea that society is unrealistic to think that one man and one woman should remain faithful in marriage, and that openness to some infidelity should be the norm!

 Click here to read the entire column.

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Fate Of Marriage: Careful What You Wish For

Ross Douthat has an insightful and thought-provoking column in the New York Times on the possible implications of the shifiting definition of marriage. He examines the situation carefully and dispassionately. It's worth everyone's attention.
Here's an excerpt:

Institutions tend to be strongest when they make significant moral demands, and weaker when they pre-emptively accommodate themselves to human nature.

Critics of gay marriage see this as one of the great dangers in severing the link between marriage and the two realities — gender difference and procreation — that it originally evolved to address. A successful marital culture depends not only on a general ideal of love and commitment, but on specific promises, exclusions and taboos. And the less specific and more inclusive an institution becomes, the more likely people are to approach it casually, if they enter it at all.

In courts and now legislatures, this has been a losing argument. But as gay New Yorkers ponder what they want their marriages to mean, they should consider one of its implications: The hardest promises to keep are often the ones that keep people together.

The columnist refers to courts and legislatures and suggests that in these bodies the stand against gay marriage has been  "a losing argument." But, it's worth noting that in the 31 states where voters have been given the choice to redefine marriage, the traditional definition of marriage has won every time.

Click here to read the entire column. 

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NY Bishops 'Deeply Disappointed, Troubled'

The following is a statement from Archbishop Timothy Dolan and the bishops of New York State: 

The passage by the Legislature of a bill to alter radically and forever humanity’s historic understanding of marriage leaves us deeply disappointed and troubled.
We strongly uphold the Catholic Church’s clear teaching that we always treat our homosexual brothers and sisters with respect, dignity and love. But we just as strongly affirm that marriage is the joining of one man and one woman in a lifelong, loving union that is open to children, ordered for the good of those children and the spouses themselves. This definition cannot change, though we realize that our beliefs about the nature of marriage will continue to be ridiculed, and that some will even now attempt to enact government sanctions against churches and religious organizations that preach these timeless truths.
We worry that both marriage and the family will be undermined by this tragic presumption of government in passing this legislation that attempts to redefine these cornerstones of civilization.
Our society must regain what it appears to have lost – a true understanding of the meaning and the place of marriage, as revealed by God, grounded in nature, and respected by America’s foundational principles.”

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Christie Won't Support Gay Marriage. And This Is News?

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie went on Meet The Press and was asked if he would sign a gay marriage bill if it came to his desk.
Christie said "no."
For the life of me, I can't understand why the media are trying to turn this into a major story.
It's not.
Christie's views on this subject have always been clear: He supports civil unions but not gay marriage. He believes marriage defines a relationship between one man and one woman. That's it.
Chris Christie made this very clear during his campaign for the office he now holds. And as many times as Christie has been asked about this, the answer has always been the same: no.
Chris Christie is quick to point out that he's vehemently opposed to discrimination based on sexual orientation. He supports equal rights and benefits for gay partners in civil unions and all other rights accorded to gay people. It's just that he draws the line at marriage.
Marriage is for one man and one woman,
Oh, I know that New York State recently lagalized gay marriage and that's thought to be a Big Deal.
But Christie's hardly out of step. As I understand it, New York state is only the sixth state to legalize gay marriage. That leaves 44 other states that haven't legalized it.
Like more than a few states, New Jersey permits legally-sanctioned civil unions. New Jersey took the lead on this and until very long ago such a move was thought to be enlightened. Now, in some people's minds, it's no longer enough.
But in Chris Chritie's world "no" means no.
If the State Legislature of New Jersey feels that strongly about legalizing gay marriage, they can do it. They'll simply have to gather enough votes to override Governor Christie's veto.
BTW: With all of the issues facing the State of New Jersey (not the least of which is the state's dire fiscal predicament) it would seem illogical if this became a defining issue in the upcoming legislative races or in the next gubernatorial campaign. But this issue seems to be all wrapped up in  passion and emotion (not logic) and key Democrats such as Senate President Steve Sweeney are already seeking to placate angry liberals by doing mea culpas about any doubts they might have had about gay marriage in the first place. So, expect this to be a rallying point for those on the left.
And, as Obama seeks to solidify his base while facing what appears to be a tough re-election battle, expect
him to move closer to supporting gay marriage as well -- he's already signaled as much.
To people like Sweeney and Obama and the Cuomos "no" can actually mean maybe or even yes.
But Chris Christie has thus far refused to operate that way.
What part of NO don't you understand?

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Former PA. Gov. Rendell, Wife Call It Quits

Friends told me months ago.
They said that Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and his wife would call it splitsville once the Governor was out of office. It was just a matter of time.
They told me the split would probably be amicable. They said the Governor was totally smitten by his new main squeeze and that that's where he'd be spending his time once he was done with his job in Harrisburg. "He wants a whole new life," they said.
These friends swore me to secrecy but they said that Ed Rendell was looking forward to living his own life his way once he broke free of public scrutiny: Becoming a sports announcer and/or TV commentator, making a lot of money and being with his new gal pal.
They also told me that his wonderful wife, Midge (a federal judge) seemed to be OK with it all.
And so now comes the word that apparently everything I heard was true.
But I kept my word. I said I wouldn't write it up -- here or anywhere. And I didn't.
Now though, it's just been announced. So it's OK to talk about it.
It's official: Gov. Rendell and his wife, U.S. Appellate Judge Marjorie “Midge” Rendell, have announced in an e-mail to friends today that they will be “living separately” now that they have left the Governor’s Mansion in Harrisburg.
We wish them well.
Click here to read more.
BTW: It's a safe bet that most reporters, editors and media type heard the same stories that I did and generally chose not to follow the reports any further. I'm told that in Big Time Democrat political circles (and inside Harrisburg and among the power elite in Philadelphia) all of this was well-known.
Not being a professional journalist, I saw no need to follow through -- plus I had given my word to friends that I would not report the story. The friends who told me did not want to be found out. But the media provided cover.

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Corzine Marries Sweetheart, Christie Offers Best Wishes

New Jersey Newsroom is reporting on the marriage of former Governor Jon Corzine in Hoboken:

It will be an extra happy Thanksgiving for Jon Corzine this year, as the former New Jersey Governor married his girlfriend Sharon Elghanayan at his penthouse in Hoboken Tuesday night.
"This is an unbelievably happy day for me, Sharon, and our family," Corzine told the Newark Star-Ledger in a prepared statement.
"When you get to share this kind of joy with your kids and grandkids, you know that you've been truly blessed. We are grateful for the many well-wishes we've received, and we wish everyone a happy and peaceful Thanksgiving holiday."

When informed of the news, Governor Chris Christie said: "I certainly wish them every happiness.
The couple has headed for a honeymoon at an undisclosed location.
This is the second marriage for the divorced Corzine who has three grown children. Elghanayan has been married twice before and has two grown children.
Click here to read more.

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