Chicago Archbishop: 'Move forward together' in wake of SCOTUS ruling

Archbishop Blase J. Cupich on Sunday said the Supreme Court's ruling on same-sex marriage call the Catholic Church to "mature and serene reflections as we move forward together."

The statement from the leader of the Chicago Archdiocese said the court has "re-defined civil marriage," and said the Catholic Church has "an abiding concern for the dignity of gay persons."

"It is also important to stress that the Supreme Court's redefinition of civil marriage has no bearing on the Catholic Sacrament of Matrimony," Cupich wrote, "in which the marriage of man and woman is a sign of the union of Christ and the Church. In upholding our traditional concept of marriage, we are called to support those who have entered into this sacred and loving bond with God and each other.

"This will be especially important for the members of our own Church as we walk together, respectful not only of the political demands of equality, but above all else, guided by the higher claims of divine revelation. Our aim in all of this will be to hold fast to an authentic understanding of marriage which has been written in the human heart, consolidated in history, and confirmed by the Word of God."