Archbishop Gustavo García‐Siller Official Statement June 26, 2015 Archdiocese of San Antonio
I am profoundly troubled by the decision handed down by the United States Supreme Court
concerning Same‐Sex “marriage.” I unite with my brother bishops across the nation, calling this
decision a “tragic error.” The Catholic Church will continue to proclaim the truth about marriage in
our pulpits and in the public square. In Catholic teaching about the sanctity of marriage, it is clear
that the union of one man and one woman in Holy Matrimony is more than a human convention or
a legal contract, it is a sacred bond that reflects a great reality both in Natural Law and in our
deepest held beliefs.
In our wedding liturgy we pray: "Father, to reveal the plan of your love, you made the union of
husband and wife an image of the covenant between you and your people. In the fulfillment of this
sacrament, the marriage of Christian man and woman is a sign of the marriage between Christ and
the Church."
It is our belief that God is the author of marriage as a holy covenant between a man and a woman
as a blessing to both. The Catholic Catechism teaches; "By creating man and woman he called
them to an intimate communion of life and of love in marriage: 'So they are no longer two but one
flesh....By its very nature it is ordered to the communion and good of the couple and to the
generation and education of children."
Catholic teaching explains that marriage is a loving union between a man and a woman and is not
intended to be exclusively a prohibition, but is even more, a proclamation of God's love of
humanity, and the beauty of love itself. In this way the Church carries out the Father’s plan,
enriching the lives of married couples and serving the common good.
With love and respect to every human person, the Church will continue to invite men and women,
regardless of their sexual orientation, to walk their journey of faith with us, discovering God's plan
for them and for all society. However, it is not within our power to recognize this redefinition of
marriage nor participate in this misrepresentation of what we believe to be a sacred union created
and reserved to one man and one woman.