Some Catholics not happy with Minnesota archbishop's anti-gay marriage push

Minnesota Archbishop John Nienstedt

Earlier this month, Minnesota Archbishop John Nienstedt sent out word to every church in his diocese to start ad hoc committees in order to push for the state's constitutional amendment against gay marriage. At the time, I wrote that he was going too far in devoting the Catholic Church's tax-exempt resources to an arena  - i.e. politics -  which may put his integrity and that of the church's in question.

According to a recent issue of the Minnesota Independent, I am not the only one who seems to have a problem with Nienstedt's push:

One lay Catholic who works for a church-affiliated organization, who asked not to be identified for fear of losing their job, told the Minnesota Independent that the organized campaign in support of the marriage amendment was “offensive, divisive and against the image of Christ we see in the Gospels.”

“But honestly after the sex abuse scandal and the cover-ups made by the hierarchy, nothing they do shocks me anymore,” the source said. ”After watching the Catholic Church use funds to pay for their lawyers, pay off victims and now shove through this amendment, I’ve decided to withhold my tithe from the church. I do not want to provide them more money to defend themselves or lobby against me and those I love. Instead, I will give that money directly to services in Minnesota that provide food and housing for the poorest among us.”

The puzzlement that Nienstedt would devote resources to the amendment fight was a constant theme in the article:

Scott Alessi, writing for U.S. Catholic, which is published by a Roman-Catholic community of priests and brothers called the Claretian Missionaries, said Niensted’s decision was “unusual.”

“Nienstedt has made clear that for priests in his archdiocese, fighting to ensure that the state defines marriage in the same way as the church is today’s top priority,” Alessi wrote.

Alessi wondered if anti-gay marriage amendment was the most appropriate use of resources: ”If an archbishop can call upon all his pastors to form grassroots committees, appoint parish leaders, and organize a large-scale effort, is this the issue on which to do it? What if every parish developed an unemployment committee dedicated to helping out of work people in the parish community find jobs?”

The answer to why Nienstedt made this "unusual push" lies in a document which he signed two years ago - The Manhattan Declaration.  The Manhattan Declaration was signed by over one hundred and twenty-five members of the religious right and leaders from the Catholic church and it says that signees will not abide by any laws which support abortion or marriage equality.