Catholics and the ConCon: The church's response to the Massachusetts gay marriage decision

Journal of Church and State

Volumn 47, Issue 1, 2005, Pages 19-41

  Cunningham, Maurice T ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 34248043905     PISSN: 0021969X     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1093/jcs/47.1.19     Document Type: Article

References (63)

1. Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, 440 Mass. 309 (2003) at 331.
2. Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, "Amicus Curiae Brief of the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts in Support of Defendants-Appellants, " in No. SJC-08860 (20 December 2003).
3. John T. McGreevy, Catholicism and American Freedom: A History (New York: W.W. Norton, 2003), 265;
4. Peter Steinfels and Robert Royal, "Introduction," American Catholics, American Culture: Tradition & Resistance, ed. Margaret O'Brien Steinfels, vol. 2 of American Catholics in the Public Square (Lanham, Md.: Rowman and Littlefield, 2004), xiii.
5. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), "Between Man and Woman: Questions and Answers About Marriage and Same-Sex Unions," http://www.usc-cb.org/laity/manandwoman.htm;
6. Megan Dorney, "Mass. Bishops Jointly Announce Million-piece Mailing," The Pilot, 23 January 2004;
7. Goodridge, 332.
8. Goodridge, 341;
9. Archbishop Sean O'Malley, "Building a Civilization of Love in a Climate of Controversy," The Pilot, 12 March 2004.
10. Editorial, "A New Cultural Reality," The Pilot, 21 November 2003.
11. McGreevy, Catholicism and American Freedom: A History;
12. Thomas H. O'Connor, The Boston Irish: A Political History (Boston, Mass.: Northeastern University Press, 1995);
13. Peter Steinfels, A People Adrift: The Crisis of the Roman Catholic Church in America (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003);
14. Thomas H. O'Connor, Boston Catholics: A History of the Church and Its People (Boston, Mass.: Northeastern University Press, 1998);
15. Michael Paulson and Raphael Lewis, "Past Prelates Also Wielded Political Sway on Key Issues " Boston Globe 18 January 2004.
16. O'Connor, Boston Catholics, 230;
17. John A. Farrell, Tip O'Neill and the Democratic Centurti (Boston Mass: Little Brown, 2001), 103, 114.
18. O'Connor, "Lace Curtains and Two Toilets," Boston Irish; Paulson and Lewis, "Past Prelates."
19. Investigative Staff of the Boston Globe, Betrayal: The Crisis in the Catholic Church (Boston, Mass.: Back Bay, 2003), 151. A further irony is that Republicans appointed six of the seven judges. The Republican appointees split, and the lone Democratic appointee voted in the majority.
20. Daniel Avila, inteniew by author, Boston, Massachusetts, 22 April 2004.
21. Edward L. Cleary, "Religion at the State House: The California Catholic Conference," Journal of Church and State 45 (Winter 2003): 48; Avila interview.
22. Boston Globe/WBZ-TV poll, 12-15 April 2002. Complete results at http://www.boston.com/globe/spot-light/abuse/stories/catholicpoll4121502.txt;
23. Betrayal "The Decline of Deference," 183-84, 190-91;
24. Michael Paulson, "Crisis in the Church: 58 Priests Send a Letter Urging Cardinal to Resign," Boston Globe, 10 December 2002. Thomas H. O'Connor, conversation with author, 8 July 2004.
25. Michael Paulson, "Diocese to Sell Headquarters to BC," The Boston Globe, 21 April 19.
26. Steinfels, A People Adrift, 7, 255-66.
27. David C. Leege and Paul D. Mueller, "How Catholic is the Catholic Vote?," American Catholics and Civic Engagement: A Distinctive Voice, ed. Margaret O'Brien Steinfels, vol. 1 of American Catholics in the Public Square (Lanham, Md.: Rowman and Littlefield, 2004), 233-34, 239.
28. Table One and Table Two were constructed from polling data from the Boston Globe poll conducted 4-6 May 2003. Complete results at http://www.boston.com/globe/spot-light/abuse/poll/.
29. For coverage of the poll, see Michael Paulson, "Catholics Want Change, Poll Finds," Boston Globe, 11 May 2003.
30. Avila interview; American Religion Data Archive (ARDA). "Religious Groupings: Massachusetts." http://www.arda.tm/.
31. Archdiocese of Boston, "Mass. Bishops Issue Statement on Same-sex Marriage," 29-30 November 2003.
32. Archbishop Sean O'Malley, "Address to the Priests of the Archdiocese," 16 December 2003.
33. O'Connor, Boston Irish; Boston Globe/WBZ-TV poll, 12-15 April 2002. Complete results at http://www.boston.com/globe/spotlight/abuse/stories/ catholicpoll4121502.txt.
34. Archdiocese of Boston, "Bishops Issue Statement"; Archbishop O'Malley, "Address to the Priests."
35. Kathleen Shaw, "SJC Rules Gays Entitled to Marry; Pressure from Bishops Denounced by Pedone," Worcester Telegram & Gazette, 5 February 2004.
36. Raphael Lewis, "Gay Marriage Foes Push Amendment; Coalition Formed to Fight SJC Ruling," Boston Globe, 8 January 2004;
37. Paulson and Lewis, 'Weaker Church Tested on Marriage."
38. Jenn Abelson and Jack Hagel, "Gay-marriage Opponents Rally Across State," Boston Globe, 26 January 2004;
39. Megan Domey, "Pro-marriage Rallies Held Statewide," The Pilot 30 January 2004.
40. Donis Tracy, "Defense of Marriage Meetings Begin," The Pilot, 30 January 2004;
41. Yvonne Abraham, "Church Sets Voter Drive to Fight Gay Marriage," The Boston Globe, 26 March 2004;
42. Larry Cirignano, interview by author, Newton, Massachusetts, 7 July 2004.
43. While some of these figures were reported in stories which appeared in the Boston Globe, the entirety of the polls of November 2003 and February 2004 were provided to the author by Boston Globe political editor David Dalil. The author wishes to express his gratitude to Mr. Dahl.
44. See Frank Phillips, "50% in Poll Back SJC Ruling on Gay Marriage," Boston Globe, 23 November 2003;
45. Phillips, "Majority in Mass Poll Oppose Gay Marriage" Boston Globe, 22 February 2004.
46. Tables constructed by author from Boston Globe polls of November 2003 and February 2004. In November, the term "unions and partnerships" was employed. In February, the language was replaced by the term "civil unions."
47. Cleary, "Religion at the State House: The California Catholic Conference," 48
48. Edward E. Doeljsi, "The Limits of Coalitions and Compromises: The California State Catholic Conference," American Catholics and Civic Engagement: A Distinctive Voice, ed. Margaret O'Brien Steinfels, vol. 1 of American Catholics in the Public Square (Lanham Md.: Rowman and Littlefield, 2004), 114, 118-19, 122.
49. See website at: www.preservemarriage.org.
50. Dr. James Dobson, "Marriage Under Fire: The State of Our Unions," http://www.family.org/docstudy/book-shelf/a0032438.cfm;
51. and "Eleven Arguments Against Same-Sex Marriage," Focus on the Family, http:/www.fam-ily.org/cforum/extras-/a0032427.cfm;
52. Jan LaRue, "Talking Points: Why Homosexual 'Marriage' Is Wrong," Concerned Women for America, http://www.ewfa.org/articledisplay. asp?id=4589&department=LEGAL&cate- goryid=family;
53. Timothy J. Dailey, "Getting It Straight: What the Research Shows About Homosexuality," (excerpts) Family Research Council "Books and Booklets," http://www.fre.org/get.cfm?i=BK04A01.
54. Archbishop O'Malley, "Building a Civilization of Love."
55. "Same-Sex Unions: Truth and Consequences," The Coalition for Marriage, http://www.preservemarriage.org/.
56. Lewis and Paulson, "Church Gives Pre-election Scorecard; Gay Marriage Votes Identified in Mailings," Boston Globe, 15 June 2004.
57. Editorial, "No to Civil Unions," The Pilot, 26 March 2004;
58. Raphael Lewis and Matthew Rodriguez, "Round 3 on Gay Marriage Today," Boston Globe, 29 March 2004;
59. Brian Falla, "Joyce Ready to Take on Walsh for Her Seat," West Roxbury and Roslindale Transcript, 8 July 2004;
60. Lisa Kocian, "Many Voters See Gay Marriage as Prime Issue for Legislators," Boston Globe, 17 lune 2004.
61. Cirignano interview.
62. Archbishop Sean O'Malley, "Chrism Mass Homily," 6 April 2004.
63. Steinfels, A People Adrift.