Supreme Court’s Decline of “Republican Form of Government” Appeal Doesn’t Change The Goal:  The People Should Decide on Marriage

The Massachusetts Catholic Conference staff issued the following statement today:

The decision by the United States Supreme Court not to take up the appeal in Largess v. Supreme Judicial Court of MA is disappointing but not surprising.  The appeal raised the issue of whether last year’s ruling by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court redefining marriage, and usurping the legislature’s power to regulate marriage, violated a clause in the U.S. Constitution requiring the states to maintain a “republican form of government”. 

The lower federal courts in the appeal decided that this clause did not apply to separation of powers violations.  They also concluded that the people in Massachusetts still retained the power to overturn the SJC through a constitutional amendment.  Appeals based on this clause are difficult to win.

The goal remains—the people of Massachusetts should have the opportunity to reaffirm marriage as the union between one man and one woman.  A constitutional amendment reversing the SJC, and giving marriage the strongest protection possible, should be brought to the people for their consideration.

The Massachusetts Catholic Conference is the public policy office for the Roman Catholic Bishops in the Commonwealth representing the Archdiocese of Boston and the Dioceses of Fall River, Springfield, and Worcester.

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