MINNESOTA: Catholic Bishops Leading Drive To Outlaw Same-Sex Marriage

Minnesota's Catholic bishops say they are ready to lead the statewide effort to pass a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. And they've already begun their push by asking priests to form local anti-gay committees in each of their parishes.

"It is imperative that we marshal our resources to educate the faithful about the church's teachings on these matters, and to vigorously organize and support a grass-roots effort to get out the vote to support the passage of this amendment," Twin Cities Archbishop John Nienstedt wrote in a letter to his priests dated Oct. 4. The letter asks parish priests to "appoint a captain or co-chairs to lead a special parish ad hoc committee to spearhead this effort." Catholic leaders say they are taking this "unique" and unusual step because they see the amendment as one of the most important issues the state's Catholics will have to consider in the coming year. With nearly 1.1 million Catholics in Minnesota, the organizing effort could be a powerful force in getting boots on the ground to support the amendment.

The above-linked article notes that Catholic parishes tend to be rather politically diverse and that the church may see negative feedback for this campaign.