(Harrisburg, PA - May 11, 2006) The Catholic Bishops of Pennsylvania, meeting May 10-11, 2006, issued the following pastoral appeal regarding the upcoming state and national legislative actions to support the protection of the institution of marriage through an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Constitution of the United States:

"Deeply concerned about preserving and protecting the divinely ordained institution of marriage, as reflected in the natural order of creation, we, the Catholic Bishops of Pennsylvania, renew our call for the support of an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Constitution of the United States of America, defining marriage as the exclusive union of one man and one woman. Marriage, so understood by diverse cultures and peoples throughout millennia of history, is a natural and universal institution, the foundation of family life, and the bedrock of our society and civilization. The preservation and protection of the identity of marriage, as it has always been understood, is a moral imperative of the highest order, and a requirement of the common good. We urge our legislators, both on the state and national levels, to support the marriage protection amendment. We appeal to our Catholic faithful and indeed all the citizens of our Commonwealth to make their voices heard and to contact their elected state and federal representatives to support these amendments."

Information on contacting your legislators concerning this important matter can be found on the website of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference .

Contact
Francis J. Viglietta
Pa. Catholic Conference
717-238-9613