a victory for marriage in Maine

On November 3rd Maine's #1 ballot initiative asked voters whether they wanted to repeal a law allowing same-sex marriage that had passed the Legislature and was signed by Democratic Gov. John Baldacci. The Catholic Church was instrumental in getting signatures on the ballot initiative, getting out the message, and getting out the vote. Every Sunday all summer there were inserts in the bulletin explaining the position of Bishop Malone to define marriage "as it has been understood for millennia by civilizations and religions around the world."

The opposition brought in gay activists from Seattle to claim that marriage is a "right," that same-sex marriage wouldn't be promoted in the public schools (but it has next door in Massachusetts), and wouldn't fundamentally change our culture.

Gay marriage has now lost in every state — 31 in all — in which it has been put to a popular vote. Five states have legalized gay marriage — Iowa, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Connecticut — but all did so through legislation or court rulings, not by popular vote. apnews

In this on-going struggle (we may have won the battle, but not the war) we did succeed this round. Many bishops across the US contributed to the effort, as well as many individual citizens.

Here is the list of the Top 12 Dioceses That Contributed to Support Marriage in Maine:
Phoenix $50,000 - Bishop Thomas Olmsted
Philadelphia $50,000 - Justin Cardinal Rigali
St. Louis $10,000 - Archbishop Robert Carlson
Kansas City, Kan.$10,000 - Archbishop Joseph Naumann
Newark $10,000 - Archbishop John Myers
Providence $10,000 - Bishop Thomas Tobin
Youngstown $10,000 - Bishop George Murry
Fall River $5,000 - Bishop George Coleman
Rockford $5,000 - Bishop Thomas Doran
Crookston $5,000 - Bishop Michael Hoeppner
Pittsburgh $5,000 - Bishop David Zubik
Arlington $5,000 - Bishop Paul Loverde
American Papist

Thank you to these wonderful bishops, if one of them is yours please tell them thank you from all Mainers!