Maine Catholic Church Spends Crazy Money to Kill Gay Marriage While Shutting Down Parishes

categories: Gay Marriage, Gay Rights and Religion, Marriage Equality, Religion and LGBT Rights

Published August 25, 2009 @ 08:05AM PT

Catholic Church

The Catholic Church is Maine is one of the leading forces behind efforts to take back civil rights for gays and lesbians this coming Election Day. A former public relations official with the Catholic Diocese of Maine, Marc Mutty, is the spokesperson for the anti-gay marriage movement in Maine, and the Catholic Diocese of Maine gave $100,000 in recent weeks to help support a ballot initiative that would end gay marriage.

This past weekend, the Catholic Church in Maine announced that they were closing two parishes to help with cost-cutting measures, while another two parishes had their names put up on the chopping block, waiting a verdict on whether they will close.

Huh. Makes you wonder how the Catholic Church spells "Prioirties." While they throw money out of their ears to criminalize same-sex marriage, they are closing parishes down and breaking a part faith communities because of no money. And that's only the tip of the iceberg.

Rumors have it that the Catholic Church in Maine is ready to spend up to $2 million to kill gay marriage. Yet parish after parish after parish continue to get shut down because of a lack of funding.

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Comments (11)

Let whoever waste however much they want. Equality across all differences is a concept that will come to fruition. They may slow it down... at the price of weakening their own moral base. If they choose the path of bigotry over compassion, let them pay the price.

Posted by Fred Frankenberg on 08/25/2009 @ 12:30PM PT
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The Catholic Church of Maine is an intolerant organization which has an incorrect view of LGBT rights. It's unfortunate that the organization will spend millions of dollars in their attempt to revoke the necessary right of same-sex marriage while shutting down their churches. The core of Maine's Catholic Church only caters to oppression against the LGBT community, which is unjustified, however LGBT rights trumps and will always trump intolerance.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 08/25/2009 @ 02:32PM PT
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Well...Maybe if they keep overspending...Maybe theyll have to shut down completely...Now, wouldnt that be a shame ? :P

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 08/25/2009 @ 04:41PM PT
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Yeah a shame for intolerance -wink wink-

Posted by Chris Marshall on 08/25/2009 @ 11:47PM PT
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This determination to spend themselves into the poorhouse in their attempt to derail marriage equality shows the true face of Roman Catholicism. They'd rather go bankrupt than allow even ONE LGTQ person to have all of the rights most Americans take for granted. No wonder they have been suspected of being anti-American in the past. I hope they run themselves into the ground in the attempt. Even if they do, the cause of LGBT rights will triumph in the end.

Posted by Ioan Lightoller on 08/26/2009 @ 02:28AM PT
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Well, since Equality California et al. gave the Catholic Church a great gift by not trying to repeal Prop 8 in 2010, the Catholics and the Mormons and the Baptists will pour millions into Maine to kill marriage equality there. They'll also pour millions into Washington to repeal the domestic partnership there. They'll also pour millions into Iowa to get a vote on marriage equality there. I hope that the archbishop of LA at least since Geoff Kors a thank you note.

Posted by Jay Jonson on 08/26/2009 @ 05:04AM PT
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They should review the original purposes of the church, including caring for the sick, alms to the poor, and loving thy neighbor. I agree - throwing their money at hate legislation and intolerance will only weaken their organization. Let them destroy themselves in the obvious attempt at killing civil rights for all.

Posted by Lisa Smolen on 08/26/2009 @ 06:46AM PT
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Why am I not surprised? The Church hasn't shown one iota of understanding how to be a good Christian in a long time. They're much more of a political institution than anything else.

Posted by Kate F on 08/26/2009 @ 08:24AM PT
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The Catholic Church needs to spend their money on what Jesus stands for, and not give it to support hate against LGBT people. The Bible makes the statement that only God can pass judgement, so is the Catholic Church along with others that support hate against LGBT people saying they are equal to God? People have used religion in the name of "hate" many times over history, so it does not surprise me to see them using it, along with their money, to support those that are against our equal right to wed.

Posted by Ray Dearman on 08/26/2009 @ 12:05PM PT
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LACK OF FUNDING? but who would want to fund such a disgraceful group like these people, It seems there only mission is to fund hate for vunerable LGBT people, Let them spend 2 Million on HATE I think we all know they won't win!

Posted by A E on 08/27/2009 @ 11:19AM PT
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the catholic church should immediately return all of the gold they stole from south america. and then they should just fold up shop. a failed attempt @ figuring how & why the world works.

Posted by jeffrey C oldman on 09/03/2009 @ 02:15AM PT
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Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.