Legalizing gay marriage will affect church institutions, speakers say

Published: 2008-03-19

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (CNS) -- For Maggie Gallagher, president of the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy in Manassas, Va., changing the law to allow same-sex marriage means changing one of the fundamental building blocks of society. But it also would have a direct impact on the institutions that regularly celebrate marriages, such as the Catholic Church, she told an audience in Providence. She also expressed concern that those who support traditional marriage will be treated "like bigots who opposed interracial marriage." Gallagher was one of two national speakers who addressed two groups that have a particular stake in marriage law -- Catholic clergy and lawyers. The other speaker was Anthony R. Picarello Jr., general counsel for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington. In Rhode Island, same-sex marriage is not legal, but several bills are pending before the General Assembly that would allow them as well as same-sex civil unions. In their presentations, Gallagher presented a case for the importance of marriage to society and Picarello outlined several of the potential legal ramifications that religious institutions could face if marriage law is changed.

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