It is a sad commentary on American society that the institution of marriage as a union between one man and one woman is even an issue. But it is and the New Jersey Knights of Columbus, to their great credit, are doing something about it.

Earlier this year in an open letter to all Catholics, the New Jersey Bishops threw their support behind traditional marriage. In it they declared marriage is the foundation of the family and the family, in turn, is the basic unit of society. The Catholic Church, after all, celebrates the covenant of marriage as a sacrament.

Archbishop John J. Myers has given his wholehearted support of the Garden State Knights' campaign to ensure that marriage remains the union between one man and one woman. To that end local councils will be collecting signatures through October on petitions after Sunday masses calling upon the New Jersey Legislature to put on the ballot a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union of one man and one woman.
 
Everyone throughout the Archdiocese of Newark should take 30 seconds to sign the petition as they leave Mass. Thousands of petitions on the doorstep of the Statehouse in Trenton cannot be ignored by lawmakers.

Traditional marriage is being threatened and it is a threat that cannot and is not being ignored.