NEW YORK -- New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan says he's worried that the next step in the marriage debate will be another redefinition to allow polygamy and infidelity.
Dolan wrote on his blog Thursday, "Recall how the Church resisted the 'contraceptive mentality,' fearing it would rupture the sacred bond between love and the procreation of children. Then, remember how the Church sounded the alarm over rising rates of promiscuity, adultery, pre-marital sex, and cohabitation prior to or instead of marriage. And now we ring the steeple bell again at this latest dilution of the authentic understanding of marriage, worried that the next step will be another redefinition to justify multiple partners and infidelity."
He thanked the "courageous millions who valiantly fought this unfortunate project of social engineering," telling his followers, "Sanely, civilly, thoughtfully, vigorously . . . you did not cave-in. The forces on the other side were a Goliath indeed -- with tons of money, "glitterati" from entertainment circles, political powerbrokers, and the media -- but you proved a worthy David."
Dolan also lamented the anti-Catholic venom that surfaced in the gay marriage battle, saying he's worried that "believers will soon be harassed, threatened, and hauled into court" for their convictions.
He apologized to those in the gay community who may have been offended by the church's stance, saying he's honored that so many gays are at home in the Catholic Church and that his goal from the start was "pro-marriage, never anti-gay."