January 17, 2014

Statement of Glenn Tebbe at Indiana House committee meeting

The following is the statement that Glenn Tebbe, executive director of the Indiana Catholic Conference, made during a Jan. 13 hearing of the Judiciary Committee of the Indiana House of Representatives regarding a proposed state constitutional amendment that would define marriage as exclusively between one man and one woman.

The proposed amendment, also known as House Joint Resolution 3 (HJR3), also states that other legal unions “identical or substantially similar to that of marriage” will not be recognized by the state.
 

“The dignity of the human person, rooted in his or her creation in the image and likeness of God, is a fundamental principle of Catholic social teaching. The Church upholds the dignity of every human person, including persons with same-sex attraction.

“At the same time, the Church upholds the dignity and sanctity of marriage, a natural institution established by God. By its very nature, marriage is a permanent partnership between one man and one woman ordered to the good of the couple and the procreation and education of children. It is the foundation of the family, where children are raised and nurtured and learn values and virtues that help them to grow in maturity.

“The well-being of children, of the family, and of society is closely bound to the healthy state of marriage and respect for its true nature and purposes.

“It is not within the power of either the Church or the state to redefine marriage since God is its author. Male-female complementarily is essential to marriage. Marriage is a ‘unique’ communion of persons with the potential to bring forth human life.

“The Indiana Catholic Conference supports the truth about marriage according to God’s plans and laws, even as it supports the equal dignity of all persons. We call on all citizens to defend and protect these truths. We support HJR3 as a means for defending the nature of marriage as the union of one man and one woman.” †

 

Related: Indiana bishops endorse proposed state amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman

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