With the New Jersey legislature expected to start debate of same-sex-marriage legislation after the Nov. 3 elections, opponents of marriage equality have already begun gearing up for the fight.
Late last month, parishioners at Catholic churches throughout the state received a letter in their church bulletins detailing why they should oppose same-sex marriage.
The Aug. 23 letter — signed by bishops from the dioceses of Newark, Trenton, Camden, Metuchen, Paterson and the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Passaic — informed parishioners that it was their duty to speak out against marriage equality.
“As Catholics, we must not stand by in silence in the face of the many challenges that threaten marriage and, in turn, children and the public good,” the letter read. “We must not shirk from our responsibility.”
The memo went on to summarize the Catholic Church’s interpretation of marriage, including the assertion that it is an institution created by God.
“God Himself is the author of marriage. Marriage as a union of man and woman existed long before any nation, religion or law was established. The marital union is the human and social institution upon which civilization has always been structured. It is a gift that our creator bestowed on all of humanity through the first man and the first woman.”
Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality, said his organization expected the Catholic Church to take a public stance on the pending debate.
“The Catholic Church has the right to advocate for the positions it believes in, as do the vast majority of people of faith who support marriage equality,” Goldstein said. “There’s nothing about the actions of the Catholic Church that surprise us. We’ve studied what they’ve done in other states and what they’ve done in New Jersey before.”
Yet, Goldstein added, there is a “significant gulf between where church hierarchy stands and where the rank-and-file Catholic voters and legislators stand,” and that the Catholic Church is just one of many faiths practiced in the state.
He expressed confidence that the campaign would not affect what he anticipates will be a favorable vote for marriage equality.
“This is pretty much going according to script; a few months before what may be a very historic time in the state of New Jersey, the Catholic Church is doing what the Catholic Church does,” he said. “We don’t begrudge them the right to organize, but we’ve always out-organized them and will continue to do so. We are going to win the battle for public opinion, just like we have over the past several years.”
The New Jersey Family Policy Council has also recently come out swinging against marriage equality. According to the Press of Atlantic City, the organization has so far recruited 1,400 “Marriage Minutemen” from across the state to advocate in churches and other forums about the fight against same-sex marriage. About 10 percent of the “Minutemen” are concentrated in Vineland.
Goldstein said, however, that his organization and other marriage-equality advocates also have been working with faith communities for the past several years to garner support for marriage equality — an effort he said has paid off.
“We’ve been organizing clergy and people of faith in two-dozen faith traditions to get ready for this very day. The vast majority of people of faith in New Jersey support marriage equality.”
Goldstein said Garden State Equality will redouble its efforts in the coming weeks to reach out to New Jersey residents and their elected officials about the importance of granting same-sex couples full marriage rights.
“What’s going on behind the scenes on our part is massive. We’ve been ready for this, and we’re raring to go.”
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].