Why Joe Bidens Blessing Of A Gay Wedding Matters | HuffPost Religion

Vice President Joe Biden achieved a personal milestone on Monday when he served as an officiant at a wedding for the very first time. But the simple private ceremony, which celebrated the love between White House staffers Brian Mosteller and Joe Mahshie, was also a significant moment for Catholics in America.

As a lifelong Catholic and the countrys first Catholic vice president , Bidens participation in the ceremony was a poignant reminder of a shift within the American Catholic church toward a more accepting view of same-sex marriage.

Proud to marry Brian and Joe at my house. Couldn't be happier, two longtime White House staffers, two great guys. pic.twitter.com/0om1PT7bKh

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Proud to marry Brian and Joe at my house. Couldn't be happier, two longtime White House staffers, two great guys. pic.twitter.com/0om1PT7bKh
Vice President Biden (@VP) August 1, 2016

While Catholic church leaders have consistently and vociferously denounced same-sex marriage , statistics show that many lay Catholics like Biden have a more nuanced view of church teachings on homosexuality and other matters involving family life. Based on polling conducted by the Pew Research Center , about 6 in 10 Catholics (58 percent) say they support same-sex marriage. Nearly half of Catholics (46 percent) think the Catholic Church should recognize same-sex marriages.

While its true that support for marriage equality is less likely among Catholics who attend Mass regularly, a look at youth views toward same-sex marriage could be indicative of where lay Catholic America is headed. In a 2014 Pew survey , 85 percent of self-identified Catholics between the ages of 18 and 29 said that homosexuality should be accepted by society. Younger Catholics are also more likely to believe that the Catholic Church should recognize the marriages of gay and lesbian couples.

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