Misuse of Marriage

In these days when there is so much vilification of the notion and supporters of "same-sex marriage," it has become standard fare for those who oppose efforts at legalizang same-sex unions to speak of heterosexual marriage in nothing short of glowing terms. "Marriage," "traditional marriage" and the "institution of marriage" are spoken of as if these could save any society from whatever cultural ills might ail it.

Thus, it was a refreshing dose of reality to read the remarks of Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Vatican's permanent observer to the United Nations, atthe 51st session of the Commission on the Status of Women. In decrying many of the ways in which some nations, cultures and societies around the world fail to respect the human dignity of women and girls, Migliore stated that, "Even the institution of marriage is sometimes misused to give a safe facade to sexual exploitation and slave labor by means of what are known as 'mail order brides' and 'temporary brides'."