Maine's Catholic churchgoers were asked to make an additional donation on Sunday toward repealing the marriage equality law in the state.
Church officials said the donations would pay for television ads and campaign efforts to overturn the law in this November's upcoming vote. Maine's Portland Diocese, which presides over the state and parts of Massachusetts, has already pledged $100,000 toward the campaign -- even as a handful of churches in its jurisdiction have had to shut their doors due to low attendance and lack of funds.
Though church officials are going ahead with the collection efforts, there have been defectors raising their voices against the donation drive. Among the protesters outside the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Sunday were two former nuns who now belong to the group Catholics for Marriage Equality.
"The fact that the bishop and the Catholic Church is coming out to help reverse the law for same-sex marriage is just appalling to me," Kathy Tosney told WMTW News. "It doesn't feel right, feels very unjust, feels very discriminating."
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