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Gay Schoolteacher Fired By Catholic Church Marries Partner in New York

Saturday, March 10th, 2012

New York Gay WeddingA gay teacher fired from a Roman Catholic school outside St. Louis after church officials learned he was planning to get married has tied the knot in a ceremony in New York.

Al Fischer lost his job in February after an official with the Archdiocese of St. Louis overheard him telling co-workers about his plans to wed his partner of 20 years. He had been a music teacher at the St. Ann Catholic School in Normandy, Mo.

The New York Times reports that Fischer and his partner, Charlie Robin, were married in a ceremony in front of a fountain in Central Park.

Full Story from CBS5

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CA: Catholic Church Drops Funding for Homeless Shelter Over Director’s Marriage Equality Support

Thursday, March 8th, 2012

Catholic Church in SacramentoFrancis House, a homeless shelter in Sacramento, has had its funding pulled from the city’s Catholic Diocese because its new director supports same-sex marriage and abortion rights, the Sacramento Bee reports:

In a letter last month, the diocese’s director of social services said the Rev. Faith Whitmore’s public statements on the issues clash with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Therefore, said the Rev. Michael Kiernan, the social services director, it is “impossible for the diocese to continue funding Francis House” as part of its annual Catholic Appeal.

Each morning, dozens of poor people line up at Francis House, in Sacramento’s homeless services epicenter on C and 14th streets, for help with basic services such as housing and transportation.

Full Story from Towleroad.com

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UK: Catholic-Commissioned Online Survey Claims 70% Against Marriage Equality

Thursday, March 8th, 2012

New York Gay Marriage PollThe Government has been warned it has “no mandate” to introduce gay marriage after a survey showed a majority believe it should remain a “life-long” commitment between a man and a woman.

An online survey of 2,004 adults conducted last month has shown 70% agreed with the statement that “marriage should continue to be defined as a life-long exclusive commitment between a man and a woman”.

The survey, commissioned by the group Catholic Voices, was conducted by the polling organisation Comres and has been released as the Government prepares to start a consultation on how to make civil marriage available to same-sex couples this month.

Full Story from the Milton Keynes Citizen

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ME: Catholic Church Bowing Out of Marriage Equality Fight, But Not Backing Down

Tuesday, March 6th, 2012

Maine Marriage Equality and the Catholic ChurchThe Roman Catholic church is taking no active roles in fundraising, staffing, advertising, or campaigning against marriage equality in Maine.

Bishop Richard Malone, the sect’s top-ranking official in Maine, said on Friday, March 2 that his goal now is only to re-train the wayward 25% of Maine’s 187,306 Catholics. He said that the church “doesn’t want to impose a law or belief on anyone,” especially non-Catholic citizens, who comprise 86% of Maine residents, and 77% of all Americans. Maine voters will decide by ballot in November whether to write same-gender marriage into state law.

Historically, Roman Catholic officials have opposed virtually every regulation, policy, and law proposed to protect LGBT people nationwide. Toward that end, the church spent $1.9 million to repeal Maine’s new marriage equality statute in 2009, after the legislature and governor had already enacted it.

Full Story from The Bilerico Project

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UK: Catholics to Rally Faithful Against Marriage Equality

Monday, March 5th, 2012

Catholic Church and UK Marriage EqualityThe Roman Catholic Church is planning to enlist the support of more than a million regular worshippers in opposition to Government plans for same-sex marriage.

Senior bishops are preparing to draw up a letter to be read at Masses across England and Wales when the Government consultation on plans to redefine marriage gets under way later this month, it is understood.

It would be only the second time in recent history that a joint pastoral letter on behalf of all Catholic bishops in England and Wales has been issued on an issue of political importance.

Full Story from The Telegraph

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ME: Catholic Church Says It Won’t Campaign Publicly Against Marriage Equality Initiative

Friday, March 2nd, 2012

Catholic Church and Gay MarriageThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Maine will take no active role in a political campaign against a same-sex marriage referendum that’s expected to be on the November ballot, Bishop Richard Malone announced today.

Instead, the diocese is expanding an existing educational program to better inform church members about the qualities and benefits of marriage between one man and one woman.

Malone issued a pastoral letter on marriage today that will be used extensively to teach 185,000 Roman Catholics in Maine about the gift of traditional marriage and the need to preserve it as it is.

Full Story from the Online Sentinel

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A Catholic Case for Marriage Equality

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

Catholic Church and Gay MarriageThis month in Maryland and the state of Washington, an extraordinary dynamic is playing itself out: Two Catholic governors are prodding legislators to pass bills legalizing same-gender marriage. Like Govs. Andrew Cuomo in New York and Pat Quinn in Illinois — whose states recently legalized same-sex civil unions — Govs. Martin O’Malley and Christine Gregoire are acting against the strongly expressed opposition of their church’s bishops.

As Catholics who are involved in lesbian and gay ministry and outreach, we are aware that many people, some of them Catholics, believe that Catholics cannot faithfully disobey the public policies of the church’s hierarchy. But this is not the case.

The Catholic Church is not a democracy, but neither is it a dictatorship. Ideally, our bishops should strive to proclaim the sensus fidelium , the faith as it is understood by the whole church. At the moment, however, the bishops and the majority of the church are at odds. A survey published in September by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 52 percent of Catholics support marriage equality and 69 percent support civil unions.

Full Story from The Washington Post

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NC: Catholic Church Fires Music Director for Marrying His Partner

Wednesday, February 15th, 2012

North Carolina Music Director FiredSt. Gabriel Catholic Church in South Charlotte, NC, fired its musical director last month because he married his partner in New York, the Charlotte Observer reported.

Steav Bates-Congdon, 61, began working at St. Gabriel in 2004 and parishioners claim that Bates-Congdon was open about being gay since his first interview with the church. Even his partner of 23 years, Bill Bates-Congdon, 47, was often involved in the church’s music department and ended up joining the hand-bell choir.

St. Gabriel is one of the biggest parishes in the city and has about 10,000 members. The couple married in a state park in Upstate New York on Oct. 15. Bates-Congdon returned to St. Gabriel on Jan. 19 after a going on a honeymoon and having to go to the hospital due to his appendix rupturing. Instead of being greeted by his co-workers, Rev. Frank O’Rourke, a pastor and a colleague of Bates-Congdon, handed the music director a note.

Full Story from Edge Boston

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IL: Marriage Equality Advocates Picket Catholic Church

Sunday, February 12th, 2012

As bundled-up parishioners hurried in and out of Holy Name Cathedral on Sunday, gay rights advocates marched on the sidewalk, criticizing Cardinal Francis George and speaking optimistically about a same-sex marriage bill introduced last week at the Illinois Statehouse.

The sidewalk outside the downtown church is popular territory for protests, but some participants said they felt special hope because of victories in two other states and the introduction of the same-sex marriage bill in Springfield on Wednesday. Washington state lawmakers approved a gay marriage bill Wednesday, and appeals judges struck down California’s same-sex marriage ban Tuesday.

“We’ve got momentum on our side,” said Andy Thayer, co-founder of the Gay Liberation Network.

Full Story from the Chicago Tribune

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MN: Catholic Church Funds Anti Marriage Equality Amendment

Friday, February 3rd, 2012

Minnesota Marriage Equality and the Cathjolic ChurchThe Catholic Archdiocese of Minneapolis & St. Paul and the Catholic Dioceses of New Ulm contributed $700,000 last year to support an anti-gay Minnesota constitutional amendment.

The church claims that money has not come from contributions it has received through its parishes, but from investment income.

The constitutional amendment defining marriage between one man and one woman, effectively banning gay or lesbian marriage, is scheduled to be on this November’s general election ballot. Half of that money, $350,000 has been donated to Minnesota For Marriage which is spearheading the push to get the constitutional amendment approved.

Full Story from The Uptake

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