Bishop Cunningham tells CNY Central that legalizing same-sex marriage in New York is a "terrible thing"
/ Courtesy: Niko Tamurian
SYRACUSE -- Local Catholic leaders say they're disappointed with the decision to legalize same-sex marriage in New York State.
Bishop Robert Cunningham, of the Syracuse Catholic Diocese, said lawmakers in Albany went too far on Friday, saying they had no right to redefine marriage.
While we love and respect our homosexual brothers and sisters, we don't think that this Marriage Act is a good thing," Cunningham said. "We think it's a terrible thing."
But it's not just lawmakers who support gay marriage. A recent poll shows nearly 60% of New Yorkers support it, too. It's a far cry from a few years ago, when 66% of New Yorkers opposed same-sex marriage in 2004.
However, many folks attending mass at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception in Syracuse say they just don't agree with same sex marriage.
"It's not a matter of equality, it's an issue of following God's law," said Mike Seagriff, of Canastota. "Marriage was created for procreation. Men and women procreate children - men and men can't, and women and women can't."
Barring an legal setbacks, the recently passed law allowing same-sex marriage in New York will go into effect late next month.
