Chicago Catholic News: Chicago-area bishops donate money to fight gay marriage -- in Maine

Chicago-area bishops donate money to fight gay marriage -- in Maine

(POSTED: 11/9/09) As Maine voters decided this past week to overturn their state's controversial same-sex marriage law, they had a little help from several Chicago-area bishops.

The Roman Catholic dioceses of Rockford, Joliet and Gary -- covering most of the Chicago region outside of Cook and Lake counties -- contributed a total of $7,000 to a special fund aimed at nullifying the law through a ballot question, records show.

They certainly weren't alone. Dioceses around the country chipped in money to overturn a law that Catholic leaders portrayed as an assault on traditional marriage and families.

But one diocese was noticeably absent from the effort: the Archdiocese of Chicago, led by Cardinal Francis George.

George's press secretary, Colleen Dolan, confirmed the archdiocese did not contribute money to the special fund, which was maintained by the Diocese of Portland, Maine.

But Dolan would not provide a reason, saying via email: ". . . I cannot answer why."

Likewise, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops -- overseen by George -- did not provide any financial or staff support to the campaign to overturn same-sex marriage, according to a spokeswoman for the group.

Not everyone was happy the other Chicago-area bishops got involved. Martin Grochala, past president of the gay Catholic advocacy group Dignity Chicago, said he was "disgusted" to learn they donated money. Pointing to violence, poverty and the crummy economy, Grochala said there are "better things" for the Church to spend its cash on.

Dignity Chicago's current president, Blane Roberts, said he was "disappointed" by the situation but "not surprised." Roberts emphasized, though, that it's not reasonable to expect the Church hierarchy to change its tune so quickly, although many "rank-and-file" Catholics do support the gay rights cause. "And we'll continue the dialogue," Roberts said. "We know this is a long haul."

Overall, the Portland diocese fund raised more than $500,000, which officials said was sent to a political action committee called Stand For Marriage Maine. The PAC, in turn, hired staff and funded a media blitz to counter the message from gay rights groups.

So how did dioceses in the Chicago region and around the nation even know about the campaign?

Portland Bishop Richard Malone sent out a letter "asking for their help and support during this campaign," said a spokeswoman, Sue Bernard.

Penny Wiegert of the Rockford Diocese, which includes Kane and McHenry counties, said Rockford Bishop Thomas Doran made the decision to pony up $5,000 to Portland's effort.

"The cause is consistent with Catholic teaching," Wiegert said. "They feel it's incredibly important and vital that their state maintain [marriage] as it was intended, between a man and a woman. . . . Marriage is a sacrament."

Stand For Marriage Maine -- supported not only by Catholics but also many evangelicals, a spokesman said -- filed financial disclosure documents with a governmental agency in Maine, and they revealed the Joliet and Gary dioceses each threw in $1,000.

(The archdioceses of St. Louis, Philadephia, New Orleans and Newark, among others, also gave money. Philly, for instance, coughed up $50,000, records show.)

Earlier this year, Maine lawmakers approved a same-sex marriage law, and the governor signed it. But voters have the power to kill a measure with a majority vote -- providing they first can gather enough signatures to put a question on the ballot.

That happened, and the issue was put forth in last week's election. A majority of voters opted to scrap the law, marking the culmination of an emotional campaign that cost each side millions of dollars -- and positioned Maine as a national battleground over gay rights.

Malone has issued a thank you on the diocesan web site, saying in part: "These past few months have served as a teaching opportunity to explain to parishioners and the wider community about how and why the Church views and values marriage as the union of one man and one woman. It has also been an opportunity for listening, and I trust that those who voted for such a radical change did so out of concern for our gay brothers and sisters. Respect and acceptance of all people regardless of sexual orientation is not a point of controversy -- indeed, it is a teaching of the Church. While the Catholic Church will continue its commitment to work for the basic human rights to which all people are entitled, it remains devoted to preserving and strengthening the precious gift of marriage."

By ChicagoCatholicNews
Contact: info@chicagocatholicnews.com

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