Philly Archdiocese Sponsoring “March for Marriage” in D.C.

Archbishop Charles Chaput. Photo | Jeff Fusco

Gay marriage may have arrived in Pennsylvania, but the debate isn’t over: The Archdiocese of Philadelphia is co-sponsoring a national “March for Marriage” rally in Washington D.C., promising to keep alive the church’s opposition to the state’s new marriage equality.

Archbishop Charles Chaput urged parishioners to join a bus fleet headed to D.C. for Thursday’s rally. This is a crucial opportunity for Philadelphia Catholics to show their support for the family and for marriage as a permanent union of one man and one woman,” he said in his column at CatholicPhilly.com.

“This is a moment to show our support for the nature of the family and the integrity of marriage as foundation stones of our life as a nation,” he added. “Please make every effort this year to join the March for Marriage.” A bus from every county in the archdiocese is being sent to the march.

AP, meanwhile, notes that anti-gay-marriage forces have lost four statewide elections in the last year — as well as a dozen court cases, with no rulings in their favor. “Faced with these developments, some longtime opponents of gay marriage now say that its nationwide legalization via a Supreme Court ruling is inevitable,” the wire service reports. “Others refuse to concede, and some leaders of that cohort will be rallying Thursday at a March for Marriage in Washington that they hope will draw many thousands.” (Associated Press)