NEBRASKA: Omaha Archbishop Encourages Repeal Of LGBT Protections

Archbishop George Lucas has sent a letter to parish priests encouraging them to promote a petition to repeal Omaha's brand new LGBT anti-discrimination ordinance, which was adopted by the city council in March. Via the blog Aksarbent, here's a portion of Lucas' letter:

Dear Father, You will soon learn from the local media about an effort that is underway to repeal the City of Omaha's sexual orientation anti-discrimination ordinance. The sponsor of this initiative - the Heritage Coalition - must collect 12,000 signatures from October to November to place the ordinance on the spring (2013) mayoral ballot. The sponsor believes that if given the opportunity, Omahans will vote to repeal this ordinance. Representatives of the Heritage Coalition may try to solicit your support. As pastor of your parish, you are free to exercise your discretion in determining if and how you want to involve yourself or your parishioners in this effort which addresses an important moral issue. Examples of your involvement may include speaking about the issue in your parish, giving petitioners access to your parish events, scheduling information nights at your parish to discuss the issue, providing informational handouts to your parishioners, etc. If you and your parishioners choose to participate in this petition drive, I ask that there be no undue disruption of parish liturgies, nor distraction from the important moral issues at stake in national and state elections this fall.

The above-mentioned Nebraska Heritage Coalition has posted an anti-gay proclamation on their website. An excerpt:

We can see God’s design for sexuality from the very beginning of creation. The Bible declares a universal and transcultural standard of sexuality in Genesis 2:24-25. Sexuality is celebrated within the marriage of one man and one woman; this is the only kind of sexual relationship that God blesses. Homosexual activity (not temptation or preference) is explicitly prohibited as sin in multiple passages in the Old and New Testament. We do not have the right to change God's moral law to fit our sexual preferences.