Maine Bishop Fights Marriage Equality

By Julie Bolcer

Bishop Richard Malone X390 (CATHOLIC NEWS AGENCY FAIR USE) | ADVOCATE.COM

The Roman Catholic Church in Maine continued to collect donations for the campaign against marriage equality over the weekend, aided by a recorded message from the Bishop of Portland that played during a Sunday service at at least one church.

Bishop Richard J. Malone prepared a recorded message heard by parishioners at St. Matthew’s Church in Hampden. He asked parishioners to do “four things,” according to the Bangor Daily News, including to pray for “marriage as we know it,” financially support the anti-equality campaign, volunteer for it, and vote yes on Question 1, the November ballot initiative to repeal the new marriage equality law.

“Same-sex marriage is a dangerous sociological experiment that many of us believe will have negative consequences for society as a whole,” said Malone in the message, according to the Bangor Daily News. “Children need the love of a mother and a father.”

The church has asked parishioners statewide to donate to second collections for the campaign throughout the month of September. It has not been made public how much has been raised through the Catholic fund-raising drive.

‹‹Previous Article in Category | Next Article in Category››

Reader Comments

Back to top Post a Comment Report Abuse
Name: Fr. Marty Kurylowicz
Date posted: 10/1/2009 3:47:34 PM
Hometown: Canton, Michigan

Comment:
I think Marriage Equality is bringing the LGBT population to a healthy state mind and well-being, where it belongs. I think in truth and soon more significantly by research we are going to find that the general population is more LGBT as a whole, than not. I say this from being a bartender, priest, pastor, psychologist and now an activist of the LGBTI people. My life has always been surrounded by a diversity of people. Researchers show us that components of human sexuality are on continuums. This means that nearly everyone is a mixture of LGBT components to some degree. And the harsh ignorant antiLGBTI social and religious norms just keeps us separated from one another because of what we cannot accept in our themselves. Educating people about the complexities that make up human sexuality that each person is a unique mixture of components of LGBTI, it will, for one, increase the human potential in the world by leaps and bounds, finding cures of all kinds of diseases and much more.
Back to top Post a Comment Report Abuse
Name: Tom
Date posted: 9/30/2009 5:28:07 PM
Hometown: Fort Walton beach

Comment:
That's an enourmous amount of press for such a teensy weensy little mind.
Back to top Post a Comment Report Abuse
Name: Soldier
Date posted: 9/30/2009 1:15:40 PM
Hometown: Maine, USA

Comment:
Burn the church down!
Back to top Post a Comment Report Abuse
Name: Christian
Date posted: 9/30/2009 1:12:05 PM
Hometown: Planet Earth

Comment:
Anyone that defines themself a Christian and discriminates against gays, is a lair. They are not a Christian, for Jesus Christ did not discriminate against anyone.
Back to top Post a Comment Report Abuse
Name: Charles
Date posted: 9/30/2009 1:04:40 PM
Hometown: Camillus, NY

Comment:
GOD is GAY!
Back to top Post a Comment Report Abuse
Name: Chuck Anziulewicz
Date posted: 9/30/2009 8:27:50 AM
Hometown: Spring Hill, West Virginia

Comment:
Joe writes: "I'm not a tax lawyer, but as I understand it, religious organizations are not allowed to endorse particular political candidates. They can, however, advocate particular issues." UNFORTUNATELY, Joe, I think this goes far beyond just advocating for one issue or another. Churches are TAKING UP COLLECTIONS to fight marriage equality. They are using this as a FUNDRAISING TOOL. How is it possible that they are managing to retain their tax-exempt status? I certainly wouldn't be permitted to use a contribution for such a political cause as a tax write-off come April!
Back to top Post a Comment Report Abuse
Name: Gabe Small
Date posted: 9/30/2009 7:51:57 AM
Hometown: Media, PA

Comment:
Same-sex marriage will not increase the number of children living without their biological mother and father. Same-sex marriage will not decrease the number of children living with their biological mother and father. There are millions of children being raised by homosexual parents in the US today. There is no law against it. These children should be granted the opportunity to benefit from the unique stabilizing effect that marriage can have on a family. The best interests of our society's children is an argument FOR same-sex marriage.
Back to top Post a Comment Report Abuse
Name: Stop the Catholic Chilld Sex Cult!
Date posted: 9/30/2009 1:53:07 AM
Hometown: Ca.

Comment:
"Children need the love of a mother and a father " " and the penis of a priest in their mouth/anus /or vaginal cavities" Of course if any one gets pregnant the church will provide for an abortion as they have done with many of it's victims, or accuse the child of lying ,or paying off of hush money from tax free donations. This is the way of the Catholic Church/Cult. Why does anyone follow these depraved sexual predators?
Back to top Post a Comment Report Abuse
Name: Randy
Date posted: 9/29/2009 11:21:42 PM
Hometown: Baltimore

Comment:
Ah. . . and 'tis certainly a holy blessin' to see the love of God shinin' through the face of one his special envoys here on earth. It's always so nice to see one of God's own who so obviously loves what he is doin'.
Back to top Post a Comment Report Abuse
Name: Fr. Marty Kurylowicz
Date posted: 9/29/2009 10:38:04 PM
Hometown: Canton

Comment:
...Same-sex marriage is a dangerous sociological experiment that many of us believe will have negative consequences for society as a whole,” said [Bishop] Malone in the message, according to the Bangor Daily News. “Children need the love of a mother and a father.”  This statement is cruel and untrue. People against Marriage Equality do not base their public statements on facts either from science or the bible. It is a repeat of the time the Vatican was condemning Galileo, because they insisted that Galileo was going against the bible that it is the sun that revolves around the earth. Children need people who are honest and truthful. Children are not safe around people who publicly speak out against Marriage Equality, because in truth these people have had no formal study in human sexuality or the bible and yet they without any intellectual thought speak out and harm innocent people. This is irresponsible adult behavior, which is harmful for children to witness. This has been proven to have “negative consequences” for children, consult developmental psychology. With all due respect, it is without a question that Bishop Malone would not be able to pass graduate course exams on human sexuality, sexual orientation, and gender identity or biblical studies. Prove me wrong!!! And if Bishop Malone cannot pass these exams today, than before God he needs to publically retract what he said against Marriage Equality. If not, then Bishop Malone needs to go back to the seminary to study moral theology. The best for well-being and safety of all children would be if people against Marriage Equality spent their money to academically study human sexuality, sexual orientation, gender identity and the bible. This is what children need the truth. People speaking out on such life and death issues should not speak out of ignorance and fear, thus spreading hatred and violence that indiscriminately is severely harmful to all children. The truth will set you free - not ignorance and fear. Fr. Marty Kurylowicz http://fathermartykurylowicz.blogspot.com/2009/09/maine-bishop-fights-marriage-equality.html

PREVIOUS 1 2 3 4 NEXT

Don't Miss

News Features WATCH: Son Defends Two Moms in Prop. 8 Case
Seventeen-year-old Spencer Perry is the latest of a number of young people who are standing up for their gay and lesbian parents and showing that the kids are all right, no matter what politicians might say.

Commentary Op-ed: Our Groups Need More Color in Their Rainbow

LGBT organizations need more racially diverse leaders, and there are a number of resolvable reasons why they are now lacking, argues Jimmy Nguyen.

News WATCH: Dustin Lance Black on Prop. 8, Election 2012
Dustin Lance Black, the screenwriter and founding board member for the American Foundation for Equal Rights, spoke to The Advocate after an appeals court called Prop. 8 unconstitutional.

Commentary Op-ed: Disliking Us Is No Longer a Legal Rationale

What the appeals court judges said in their ruling on Proposition 8’s constitutionality will have far-reaching consequences, and that has our opponents freaking out.

Television World’s First Openly Gay Royal Is on Fairy Tale Search for Love
India's gay Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil was burned in effigy when he surprised his countrymen and came out. Now he's going undercover to find love on a new reality show on TLC.

News Features Filmmakers Work for Marriage Equality
Instead of the typical campaign commercials advocating against antigay ballot initiatives like North Carolina's Amendment 1, Working Films is going deeper to show how these laws harm families.

Commentary Op-ed: Why We Are Fighting Meth

The executive producers for the Hollywood Rush witnessed a friend’s struggle with the drug and are trying to do something about it.

Music The Advocate Editors' Personal Madonna Moments
In honor of our March cover subject, we're sharing our own Madonna recollections, including getting nearly trampled by her fans and receiving correspondence from the lady herself.

Commentary Advice: Two Weddings, Two Sets of Gifts?
One groom-to-be asks what to do if you've already been married once before, but not "gay-married." Is it taboo to ask friends for wedding gifts again?

Television Housewives' Kyle Loves You, But Hands Off Her Mauricio
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Kyle Richards tells us about fending off gay advances toward her husband and receiving come-ons from lesbians.

News Quinn to Christie: Stop “Playing Games” With Marriage
New York City Council speaker Christine Quinn said that Gov. Chris Christie appears to be playing a “political game” with his call for a marriage equality referendum in New Jersey.

News Prop. 8 Recordings Could Still Be Made Public ... in 2020
Court rules mandate that documents filed under seal become public 10 years after a decision in the case — unless a legal party shows “good cause” as to why they should remain out of the public’s hands.

Best of Broadway Smash: Why You Will Love It
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, two of the producers of NBC’s new critically acclaimed musical series, explain why the backstage drama of creating a musical about Marilyn Monroe has mass appeal and why big stars like Anjelica Huston, Uma Thurman, Bernadette Peters, and Nick Jonas were eager to appear in it.

Best of Broadway The Advocate Staff Remembers: Best of Broadway
The staff of The Advocate turns back the pages of time and shares their favorite Broadway memories. We asked for yours earlier so it only seemed fair that we share, too.

Best of Broadway Sometimes a Hat Makes a Big Difference
Who has the best Easter bonnet? It's just another of the unexpected ways that Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS raises money for the cause.

News Psychedelic Queen of Pop (Art)
The March 2012 issue of The Advocate kicks off our 45th anniversary by paying homage to its birth year, 1967.

Best of Broadway Dressing Felicia: Priscilla's Costume Designer Talks Shop
Costume designer Tim Chappel shares private sketches with The Advocate of his work on The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and gives the behind-the-scenes scoop on that flip-flop dress.

Best of Broadway How Broadway Does a Flea Market
Find out why actress Kathleen Chalfant calls the annual Flea Market and Grand Auction in Times Square "the most glamorous flea market you've ever seen." It raised half a million dollars to fight HIV/AIDS.

Best of Broadway Especially for You, It All Goes Backwards on Broadway
Here's your chance to hear the best of Broadway sung with you in mind at the annual Broadway Backwards event.

Best of Broadway You Picked: Broadway's Best Moments
We asked for your most loved and loathed moments from the Broadway stage. Here are eight of our reader's favorite musical moments, plus two that were not so well received.

Travel Gayest Cities in America, 2012
It's no secret that megalopolises New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles have robust LGBT life — and we've even heard tell of little queer hoods like the Castro and P-Town. This isn't that list.

Business Best Companies List: Who Is on Your Side?
The Human Rights Campaign released its newly updated Corporate Equality Index today. Here's the complete list of companies that scored 100% for being LGBT-friendly.