Not All Catholics Follow Pope Benedict XVI on Same-Sex Marriage

by Michael Jones · 2009-02-13 10:57:00 UTC
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Rhode Island Earlier this morning we wrote about the rally yesterday in Rhode Island, coordinated by Marriage Equality Rhode Island, that brought upwards of 200 people to the State Capitol building in Providence to call for legislation that legalizes same-sex marriage.   Along with the rally, Marriage Equality Rhode Island demonstrated statewide poll numbers that showed that the political environment is ripe for legislators to pass same-sex marriage legislation.

According to the Marriage Equality Rhode Island poll, which was conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research in July 2008, 49 percent of Rhode Islanders favor marriage rights for same sex couples while 39 percent are opposed.

Those are pretty awesome numbers.  Even more awesome?  The survey done by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner also asked Catholics how they feel about gay marriage.  And the response?  Not what you might expect, given the harsh rhetoric from the Vatican and the U.S. Bishops on homosexuality.  In Rhode Island, a majority of Catholics favor same-sex marriage - 45 percent to 37 percent.

The implications for this are huge.  Rhode Island has the highest percentage of Catholics in the entire United States.  And a majority of them approve of same-sex marriage.

At yesterday's rally in Providence, the Rhode Island Religious Coalition for Marriage Equality said that "we feel as a profound moral fact that no essential feature of humanity is defective. Since sexual orientation is a naturally occurring characteristic of our humanity, each of us may say with firm religious conviction: ‘My sexual orientation, whatever it may be, is blessed by God.'" (Pawtucket Times)  The coalition also added that "same-sex marriage is in God’s plan for humanity."

Turns out, the majority of Rhode Island Catholics agree, proving that there's room within Catholicism to be in favor of same-sex marriage.  Is it possible that this news will provide enough cover for progressive Catholic organizations to start speaking out on behalf of marriage equality?

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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