The recent Supreme Court decision “Obergefell et al. v Hodges” has now redefined the legal definition of marriage in our country. Responding to the cultural trends of the last sixty years, the judges have made a decision that will affect not only those individuals who decide to enter same-sex unions, but every citizen and institution within the nation.

Even before the June 18, 2015 publication of Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment (‘Laudato Si’), the media delighted in reporting voices both approving and disapproving of his speaking on the subject. No doubt the debate will continue.

History records the sad fact that disputes over religious tenets have led to war, even within Christendom. At the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, differences in religion ignited fires on the battlefield. To end the first large-scale conflict, in 1555, The Peace of Augsburg declared that every ruler had the power to determine the religion of his realm.

Media headlines throughout the world have been trumpeting Ireland’s recent acceptance of same-sex “marriage” as the coming of age of Catholics in today’s world. There are 19 other countries that have previously accepted the proposition that equality for gays and lesbians means redefining marriage to include same-sex couples.