The three Call To Action chapters in Illinois have joined partners Dignity/Chicago and Fortunate Families with the help of New Ways Ministry to create a Catholics for Marriage Equality campaign in Illinois.
Members of Call To Action Chicago, Faithful of Southern Illinois and West Suburban Call To Action are reaching out to Catholics across the state in support of the Tuesday, Oct. 22 March On Springfield for Marriage Equality. ( See www.marchonspringfield.org . )
Catholic officials have vowed to defeat the effort. The six Catholic Bishops and their lobbying arm, the Catholic Conference, have opposed the bill in Committee, in the Senate and now in the House.
Meanwhile various polls confirm that a majority of Catholics support the right of civil marriage for same sex couples.
"What can Catholics do?" asked Barbara Marian, the mother of a lesbian daughter. "Support for marriage equality is a natural outcome of the best of Catholic social teaching. We encourage all Catholics to take a moral stand for equal marriage.
Email or call your friends, urge them to get involved, sign up with Catholics for Marriage Equality, attend the rally in Springfield on Oct. 22 and write letters to the editors. This is clearly an issue where the bishops do not speak for the membership of the Catholic Church.
"Interested individuals can find us on the web: www.CatholicsforMarriageEquality.net or FB_Catholics for Marriage Equality.
Activists are circulating "Sign Up for Marriage Equality" sheets to demonstrate the growing support for justice."
In various states individuals and groups have come together as Catholics for Marriage Equality, with activities integral to the marriage equality effort. Call To Action members played important roles in organizing the successful campaigns in Maryland, Minnesota, Maine and Washington last year.
The March on Springfield is Tuesday, Oct. 22, noon-3:30 p.m. Parishes should be "buzzing" on this issue. A booklet exploring the positive Catholic approach for marriage equality can be found under "resources" on the website, www.CatholicsForMarriageEquality.net .