News Release: Michigan Catholic Conference Grateful for State’s Defense of Voter Approved Marriage Amendment

(Lansing, Mich.)—Michigan Catholic Conference today is applauding the state Office of Attorney General for continuing to defend the Michigan Marriage Amendment that was found unconstitutional on Friday by U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman. After the ruling, a statement was released by the Catholic bishops in the state addressing the importance of one man and one woman in marriage and pledging to support efforts to appeal the judge’s decision.

“The Catholic community has made clear its strong support for the 2004 voter approved marriage amendment, and that any legal decision to overturn the amendment should be appealed and overturned,” said Paul A. Long, Michigan Catholic Conference President and CEO. “The state attorney general has vowed to defend the constitution and we are thankful for his efforts to uphold the natural definition of marriage between one man and one woman. We hold that the institution of marriage was ordained by God through nature, therefore no appointed judge, elected official or electoral vote has the right to redefine what it did not create. Michigan Catholic Conference is hopeful for favorable court rulings in the coming days and will continue to support the state’s legal effort to defend the 2004 voter-approved marriage amendment.”

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati on Saturday issued a temporary stay of Judge Friedman’s decision after the state attorney general requested such a motion immediately following the district judge’s ruling. The appellate court has asked the plaintiffs in the case to submit a response to the state by Tuesday, March 25. The temporary stay is in effect until Wednesday, March 26, meaning the state’s marriage amendment is back in effect at least until that day.

Responding to the federal judge’s decision on Friday to overturn the Michigan Marriage Amendment, the Catholic bishops in the state said the ruling “strikes at the very essence of family, community and human nature. In effect, this decision advances a misunderstanding of marriage, and mistakenly proposes that marriage is an emotional arrangement that can simply be redefined to accommodate the dictates of culture and the wants of adults.” The bishops went on to state they would “assist to the greatest extent possible efforts to appeal Judge Friedman’s most regrettable ruling.”

Michigan Catholic Conference is the official public policy voice of the Catholic Church in this state.

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