Defending marriage ‘is not against anyone’s dignity,’ Polish bishops say
Polish bishops defended the constitutional definition of marriage as a union of a man and a woman, asserting that protecting this definition does not infringe on anyone's dignity. They responded to the EU Court of Justice ruling that requires Poland to recognize same‑sex marriages performed in other EU member states, warning that expanding legal interpretations could weaken constitutional marriage. The bishops cited Article 18 of the Polish Constitution, emphasizing that marriage, family, motherhood, and parenthood are protected by the Republic and should not be reinterpreted to accommodate same‑sex unions. The statement urged a responsible, calm debate on marriage, stressing that fundamental issues should not be resolved through interpretations that raise serious social and constitutional concerns.
4 months ago
Polish bishops reaffirm that defending the traditional definition of marriage does not infringe on anyone’s dignity, even as Poland begins registering same‑sex unions following a European Union court ruling that requires member states to recognize such marriages performed elsewhere in the bloc. The bishops cite the Polish Constitution’s protection of marriage as a union between a man and a woman and warn against expansive legal interpretations that could weaken this constitutional understanding. Legal observers note that the government’s administrative actions may exceed its authority under the same constitutional provision, while neighboring countries face similar tensions over same‑sex marriage recognition. 1
The Family Council of the Polish Bishops’ Conference issued a statement on May 22, emphasizing that respect for each person does not require abandoning the Church’s long‑standing teaching on marriage.
The statement, signed by Archbishop Wiesław Śmigiel, asserts that upholding the traditional definition of marriage “takes nothing from anyone’s dignity.” 1
Article 18 of the Polish Constitution defines marriage as a union of a man and a woman, placing it under the protection of the Republic.
The bishops argue that this constitutional wording is substantive, not merely formal, and that “expansive interpretations of law may lead to the weakening of the constitutional understanding of marriage.” 1
The Court of Justice of the European Union issued a ruling in November 2025 obliging member states to recognize same‑sex marriages contracted in other EU countries.
Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, pledged to implement the ruling, leading Warsaw and Wrocław to begin transcribing same‑sex “marriage” certificates into the civil registry. 1
Legal commentators suggest that Poland’s administrative approach may exceed the authority granted by Article 18 of its constitution.
In neighboring Slovakia, a lawmaker married his male partner abroad and seeks recognition, but Slovak constitutional provisions similarly define marriage as between a man and a woman.
Hungary’s 2021 law restricting LGBT‑related content to minors was recently judged by the EU’s top court to breach EU founding values, illustrating broader regional disputes over LGBTQ+ rights. 1*
How does the Catholic Church define marriage’s dignity?
The Catholic Church defines the dignity of marriage as something more than a social arrangement or private preference: it is a God-founded covenant whose form and purpose reflect God’s own love, and—when the spouses are baptized—its covenantal reality is raised to the level of a sacrament.
When the spouses are baptized, the Church teaches that marriage is “the image of and the participation in the covenant of love between Christ and the Church.”
Because of this, the Church holds that marriage has a dignity that must be promoted, protected, and defended with pastoral solicitude and the means available to the Church.
Catholic teaching explicitly rejects the idea that marriage can be freely reshaped at will. Marriage is by nature an institution founded by the Creator and endowed with His laws.
The Church identifies marriage’s essential properties as unity and indissolubility; in a Christian marriage, because it is a sacrament, it has a “particular firmness.”
In the liturgical Rite of Marriage, the Church describes marriage as arising from irrevocable consent freely given and accepted by each partner. This covenant creates an intimate union and a commitment to total fidelity, which “argue[s] for an unbreakable oneness between them.”
So, marriage’s dignity is tied to the moral meaning of the spouses’ consent: it is not merely emotional, but covenantal—sealed by a promise meant to be enduring.
The Church also connects marital dignity with the dignity of persons. In a papal reflection, marriage is described as the communion of persons between a man and a woman “within the marriage covenant,” and it says that when marriage and family life are harmed, the fundamental dignity of human beings is dishonored.
The Church further teaches that the “image of God who is love” is deeply reflected in marriage’s “permanent and unbreakable communion of life and love.”
Because marriage is ordered to covenant fidelity and truth, the Catechism states that “adultery, divorce, polygamy, and free union are grave offenses against the dignity of marriage.”
This expresses how the Church understands marriage’s dignity as something objective—an order that can be violated, not just a lifestyle choice.
Catholic teaching links the dignity of marriage to the dignity of the marriage act (the conjugal union). The Church cannot approve practices that undermine the biological, psychological, and moral bonds on which the strength of marriage and family life depends.
The conjugal act, when expressed in a truly human way, is described as “noble and worthy,” promoting mutual self-giving by which spouses enrich each other “with a joyful and a thankful will.”
Moreover, marriage and conjugal love are “by their nature ordained toward the begetting and educating of children,” and children are described as the “supreme gift of marriage.”
In Catholic terms, marriage’s dignity is defined by:
Therefore, the Church defines marriage’s dignity as a real, objective covenant with divine meaning—requiring fidelity, permanence, and reverence for the full truth of conjugal love.