Hey Minnesota Catholic Bishops: Focus on Poverty, Not Gay Marriage

Here's some information about Minnesota. Each night, about 9,000 individuals in the state are homeless. Close to 500,000 experience poverty in the state, according to 2008 Census figures. Twenty-five percent of women over the age of 16 experience poverty. And poverty rates among African Americans are the third highest in the country in Minnesota.

Yet a coalition of Minnesota Catholic bishops are urging voters to care more about gay marriage, and are planning to engage in the upcoming November elections under the mantra that same-sex marriage is the number one issue facing Minnesotans.

Makes one wonder how the Catholic bishops of Minnesota decide to prioritize issues.

Part of the bishops' coordinated campaign against same-sex marriage includes sending DVDs out to families, as well as letters from several Catholic leaders, including the Bishop of Winona, John Quinn. The DVD and the letter will argue that gay couples are attacking the institution of marriage, and that Minnesotans should be frightened that same-sex couples want their relationships recognized.

"The bishops of Minnesota are alarmed by the continuing attacks on the institution of marriage, and we are taking action," Bishop Quinn said.

But here's something to be alarmed at. Instead of focusing in on poverty rates, homelessness, the fact that the minimum wage in Minnesota is only $5.25 an hour, or that there were two million visits to Minnesota food banks last year, the Catholic bishops in Minnesota have decided to spend the money on a DVD to send to every Catholic household in Minnesota, complaining about same-sex marriage.

Don't Minnesotans deserve better? Send a message to the Catholic leadership in Minnesota that the Church should be fighting poverty, not fighting love.

The issue of marriage equality is going to get increasing attention in Minnesota, especially as the November election gets closer and closer. Two candidates running for Governor, Democrat Mark Dayton and Independence Candidate Tom Horner, both support same-sex marriage. A third candidate, Republican Tom Emmer (who was the benefactor of $150,000 from Target corporation earlier this summer), does not support same-sex marriage. Emmer also believes that gays and lesbians shouldn't be parents, and has financially supported a ministry in the past that has called for violence against gays and lesbians.

Polls of the governor's race remain close, with the latest showing just the slightest lead for Dayton.

But beyond just the governor's race, more and more people in Minnesota are jumping on board the marriage equality bandwagon. The Minneapolis Star Tribune noted last year that voters are shifting their positions on same-sex marriage and same-sex unions, particularly as more states (including next door neighbor Iowa) recognize same-sex marriage with absolutely no consequences. And this year, legislation was not only introduced in the Minnesota State House to recognize marriage equality, but a lawsuit was filed in the state challenging Minnesota's Defense of Marriage Act.

Momentum is there. Which makes the latest investment and coordination by Catholic bishops all the more frustrating. It's a waste of resources. At least that's the conclusion reached by several Catholics, including Michael Bayly of the Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities. He notes in the Minnesota Independent that all the money that the Catholic Church is putting toward fighting same-sex marriage will be for naught.

"Marriage equality is coming to Minnesota, and they're clearly not happy about it," Bayly told the Independent. "In many ways I see what they're doing as a last ditch effort to try and get Catholic voters to turn the election away from a win for the Democrats and thus marriage equality."

But it's hard to see how attacking committed same-sex couples wins these Catholic bishops any broad swath of support. Doesn't it instead send a message of intolerance?

Let the Catholic leadership of Minnesota know that their resources would be better spent fighting Minnesota's real problems. And same-sex marriage, no matter how you look at it, isn't one of them.

Photo credit: *clarity*