Gay Marriage as an "Ideology of Evil"

The press seems to be having a field day with Pope John Paul II's reference to gay marriage as being part of an "ideology of evil."  One vital benefit of Catholic social thought is its ability to engage those outside the Church through language that is accessible.  In today's culture, my fear is that such labels close off any further potential conversation on a key societal trend.  It seems too easy for proponents of gay marriage (and those who are conflicted on the issue) to write off anything the Catholic Church has to say, as these labels produce headlines that support a caricature of the Church as an unthinking, anachronistic institution.  Am I missing something?  (Note that I am not addressing the merits of the gay marriage debate, only the language with which we approach it.)

Rob