Portland, Maine, May 12, 2009 / 00:31 am
Bishop Richard Malone of Portland, Maine released a statement after the state’s governor signed a bill to redefine marriage in the state. The prelate expressed his disappointment in the decision and noted that same-sex “marriage” will have “negative consequences for society.”
With the governor’s signature, Maine became the fifth state to accept same-sex “marriage.”
Bishop Malone said in his press release: “I am deeply disappointed in the Maine Legislature and the Governor for making same sex-marriage legal in our state. We believe that the vast majority of Maine's people believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman, and that calling same-sex relationships marriage doesn't make them so.”
He continued, “Marriage as we have known it for millennia has served as the cornerstone of society. The family, consisting of mother, father and children, has served throughout the ages as the natural place for the healthy development of children into well adjusted and productive citizens.”
“Same-sex marriage is a dangerous sociological experiment that I believe will have negative consequences for society as a whole. Children will be taught in schools that same-sex marriage and traditional marriage are simply different expressions of the same thing, and that the logical and consistent understanding that marriage and reproduction are intrinsically linked is no longer valid. These are profound changes that will reverberate throughout society with tragic consequences."
According to the release from the diocese, they promise to work with other organizations to put the issue on the ballot this November.