The repeal of the Defense of Marriage
Act (DOMA) threatens the Roman Catholic Church.
Dan Avila, a policy adviser to the
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), told
Catholic News Agency (CNA), that every Catholic must advocate for
the 1996 law that bans federal agencies from recognizing the legal
marriages of gay and lesbian couples.
“We just can't simply sit back,”
Avila said. “Every Catholic and every Catholic institution
concerned about marriage and the family will need to be able to step
forward and advocate for the Defense of Marriage Act as federal
policy.”
Avila made his remarks soon after the
U.S. Senate held its first-ever hearing on a bill that aims to repeal
DOMA. While a majority of the members on the Senate Judiciary
Committee support repeal of the law, its chances of passage in the
Republican-led House remain slim.
(Related: Senator
Patrick Leahy coaxes Focus on the Family's Tom Minnery to admit DOMA
hurts children.)
“We can't just take DOMA for
granted,” Avila added. “Even if there's no immediate prospect
for this bill to race through Congress, the fact is that the pressure
is building and the case is being made for the eventual demise of
DOMA. All those concerned about the preservation of marriage simply
need to pay attention, stay tuned, and be ready to respond.”
Repealing DOMA, Avila explained, would
“redefine marriage” and “anyone who disagrees with this
redefinition will be treated as equal to racists,” which would lead
to “great threats” to the Catholic Church.