Dear Friends of Marriage,
Late last week, Newark Archbishop John Myers -- a great friend of marriage -- publicly expressed concern over a new course on same-sex marriage to be offered at Seton Hall University next fall, calling on the board of regents to take action to protect Catholic teaching on marriage.
As Archbishop of Newark, Archbishop Myers provides oversight for Catholic educational institutions in the archdiocese, and is responsible for ensuring adherence to Catholic doctrine and teaching.
Particularly in the college and university setting, there is continual pressure from academic elites for religious institutions to quietly back away from faithful adherence to church teaching, in the name of "diversity" or "academic freedom." Dozens of schools have already abanonded the religious teaching that earlier characterized the institution. It requires continual vigilance to ensure the "authentic and orthodox Catholic teaching" that Archbishop Myers is protecting here.
With respect to marriage in particular, the cultural attack in higher education is intense. Across the country, our young people are being told there is no good reason to oppose same-sex marriage. Before long, the future of marriage will be handed over to the next generation, and it's imperative that we transmit a marriage culture to our young people -- that's the goal of NOM's Ruth Institute and other next generation projects.
We can't afford to have Catholic and other religious institutions abandon traditional teachings on marriage, and are grateful to Archbishop Myers for his courage in taking a public stand for marriage.
Faithfully,
Brian S. BrownPresident
National Organization for Marriage
20 Nassau Street, Suite 242
Princeton, NJ 08542
[email protected]
