In a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama, Archbishop Timothy Dolan, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop, has renewed his commitment to defending the Defense of Marriage Act. The message, dated September 20, 2011, comes in response to recent actions taken by the Obama Administration that threaten the very existence of marriage.

Over the last several months, the United States Justice Department has shifted its attitude toward the Defense of Marriage Act from simply not defending it to challenging its constitutionality altogether. That move, in itself, is unconstitutional, some have argued, because the role of the executive branch of government is to enforce the laws, even those it does not necessarily support.

Within the letter, Archbishop Dolan reaffirms the USCCB’s support for the institution of marriage. Dolan also reiterates the “immeasurable personal dignity and equal worth of all individuals,” including the dignity of those with same-sex attraction, the main supporters of the repeal of DOMA. Furthermore, the archbishop refutes the claim that the support of DOMA is “rooted in prejudice and bias.”

Newly elected Archbishop Dolan at November General Assembly presser | Credit: CNS

On November 16th, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops elected Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York to the position of President. The Dolan election turned what was expected to be an uneventful annual November meeting for the bishops into something that seismically altered historical traditions.

Throughout its history, the bishops have elected the conference’s incumbent vice-president into the head position. If tradition would have prevailed this year, Bishop Gerald Kicanas would have stepped into that main leadership role, succeeding Cardinal Francis George of Chicago. [On a side note, the only time tradition has been broken was when Vice-president Cardinal John Carberry of St. Louis would have retired before the end of his three-year presidential term.]

As a result of these election results, many have questioned the motives of the bishops in choosing a person with such a dynamic personality. Some have linked the decision to the Tea Party movement. While others believed the decision was one based on uncertainty about Bishop Kicanas’ leadership abilities.

In years past, Bishop Kicanas had been scrutinized for a decision he made while rector of Mundelein Seminary, which is on the campus of the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Illinois. The decision: allowing the ordination of a seminarian who had previously been accused of inappropriate behavior with a minor. The priest would later be accused of sexually abusing 23 boys and sentenced to five years in prison. Bishop Kicanas has denied knowledge of these allegations.

As most of you (if not all of you) are aware, this morning the Holy Father made one of the most significant appointments of his pontificate, naming Archbishop Jose H. Gomez as Coadjutor-Archbishop of Los Angeles, which is the largest diocese in the United States. Throughout the day, bishops from across the country have been voicing their praise, congratulations, and prayers for Archbishop Gomez.

Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York wrote the following:

I was overjoyed to learn of the appointment of Archbishop José Gomez of San Antonio as the Coadjutor Archbishop of Los Angeles. He will be a great blessing to the Catholic faithful of our nation’s largest archdiocese, and to the entire Los Angeles community, as well as to my good friend, Cardinal Roger Mahony, who has served the Los Angeles Archdiocese so faithfully for 25 years.

I have known Archbishop Gomez for more than a decade. I cherish his friendship and admire his zeal. I look forward to working together even more closely in the years to come, and assure him of my prayers as he prepares to undertake this new phase of service to Christ and his church.

SOURCE: The Gospel in the Digital Age

PHOTO SOURCE: Global Catholic Radio Conference

Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, who ordained Archbishop Gomez as an Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Denver, made the following congratulatory remarks upon receiving the news of Gomez’s appointment to L.A.: