Bishop Wilton Gregory, president of the U.S. episcopal conference, articulated that view in a statement after the Senate on Wednesday failed to invoke cloture on the debate on the marriage amendment.
Cloture would have ended the debate and permitted the Senate to vote on the amendment.
«Marriage, the union of one man and one woman, has always been recognized as the foundation of human society, but today marriage is sadly in need of protection,» Bishop Gregory said in his statement.
«It is a shame that the Senate did not have the opportunity to vote on this amendment that is so necessary to the well-being of our nation,» he added.
Bishop Gregory had urged the Senate to vote in favor of the marriage amendment and to turn back any attempt to prevent its consideration.
He also wrote to all bishops asking them to urge their Senators to support the amendment and to encourage their local pastors to generate additional support for the amendment throughout the Catholic community.
