According to a new report from the Public Religion Research Institute, 74% of Catholics in the U. S. favor (or at least tolerate) same-sex relationships. Bishop McDonnell, are you listening? Key findings:
- Catholics are more supportive of legal recognitions of same-sex relationships than members of any other Christian tradition and Americans overall. Nearly three-quarters of Catholics favor either allowing gay and lesbian people to marry (43%) or allowing them to form civil unions (31%). Only 22% of Catholics say there should be no legal recognition of a gay couple’s relationship.
- Compared to other religious groups, Catholics are significantly more likely to give their church poor marks for how it is handling the issue of homosexuality. Less than 4-in-10 (39%) Catholics give their own church top marks (a grade of either an A or a B) on its handling of the issue of homosexuality.
- Seven-in-ten Catholics say that messages from America’s places of worship contribute a lot (33%) or a little (37%) to higher rates of suicide among gay and lesbian youth. _____
IMHO, the 74% puts a different cast on the 1,000 bucks that Bishop McDonnell donated to the Maine anti-gay campaign a few years ago (the campaign was successful in turning back a gay marriage law). I find it queer that McDonnell discussed it with no one, asked no one's permission, did not publicize the donation, and yet made the donation in the name of the "Roman Catholic Bishop of Springfield" — the Diocese.
Apparently, he assumed that his actions were supported by the laity. Since less than 26% of local Catholics are likely to find his action gospel-centered, I propose that McDonnell immediately write out a check to the Diocese of Springfield in the amount of $740.00.
Read the full report here.
Read the methodology supplement to the report here.
Read the press release here.
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