1200 Memorial Drive PO Box 610 Crookston MN 56716 ph: 218/281-4533 fax: 218/281-3328 www.crookston.org Home Parishes Schools Staff, Office & Ministry Directories Diocese of Crookston Home About Employment Opportunities Office of the New Evangelization Office of the Tribunal Office of Safe Environment Office of Administration Office of Stewardship & Development Office of Worship & Liturgy Office of the Bishop My Dear Christ’s Faithful of the Diocese of Crookston and All Friends, Here in Minnesota, 2012 is a most important year. Our State Legislature has placed on the November ballot a most important referendum. We are being asked if, in our state, marriage should be held to be a union of one man and one woman. The legislators we have elected are asking Minnesotans to decide. This presents us with both a wonderful opportunity and a serious challenge. In responding to this referendum, we have a wonderful opportunity to live our faith and proclaim the Gospel message loudly and clearly. Jesus asks us to bring the Gospel message to our world and help transform our world according to what is good and true and according to God’s will. Our “yes” to this question is an act of witness to Jesus and the Gospel for God is the author of marriage for all human beings. Jesus reminded us of this: “the Creator, from the beginning, made them male and female and …this is why a man must leave his father and mother and cling to his wife and the two shall become one body.” (Mt. 19:5-6) The Church holds as part of the deposit of faith that marriage is a union between one man and one woman and has consistently taught this. The union of marriage involves the complementarity of the sexes. It is a beautiful and unique union. . This referendum also poses for us a serious challenge. There are those who accuse us, as we profess and proclaim marriage to be only the union of one man and one woman, to be bigots who discriminate. We are not. Discrimination denies someone something they have a right to. There is no right for two people of the same sex to “marry” or have their union deemed “marriage.” In fact, justice demands that we recognize marriage for what God has made it to be. Our challenge is to speak the truth in love, always in love, for we know that true happiness, in this life and the next, is found only in living the truth. As citizens and as Catholics we have a responsibility to be active and involved in life for the good of society. Certainly, in our day, there are many things that threaten the well-being of marriage and family life. When your family is threatened, you defend it! This referendum challenges us to fulfill our responsibility and step up to defend marriage and strengthen it for the good of our families and all families and our whole society. We must remember, not being faithful to God’s plan for marriage is dangerous. It is dangerous both to individuals and to society as a whole. The Bishops of Vatican II taught that there is a certain rightful autonomy and working of the temporal order, but we must always live remembering our Creator “for creation without the Creator fades into nothingness.” (The Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes, Vatican Council II, #36). The Catholic dioceses of Minnesota are part of a coalition that has been formed – Minnesotans For Marriage – of other faith-based churches and groups as well as non-faith-based groups which will work for the passage of the amendment. The goal is to mobilize thousands of active volunteers and voters to support the marriage protection amendment. For the amendment to pass, 60% of votes cast must be “yes” votes. I encourage each one and all to seize this wonderful opportunity and to meet this serious challenge. Be involved and be responsible and witness to God’s gift of marriage by voting “yes” to this amendment and be active in getting others to do so too. For more information go to: http://marriagematters.mncc.org and USCCB at http://usccb.org/uniqueforareason/marriagematters. Sincerely, in the name of the Lord Jesus, Most Rev. Michael J. Hoeppner Bishop of Crookston office of the Bishop ▪ p.o. box 610 ▪ crookston, minnesota 56716tel: (218) 281-4533 fax: (218) 281-3328
A Letter from Our Bishop to the Faithful of the Diocese of Crookston
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