The Roman Catholic Hierarchy’s Devotion to Fighting Marriage Equality

The Roman Catholic Church and its affiliate, the Knights of Columbus, played a leading role in funding anti-LGBT equality efforts in the four states where marriage equality was on the ballot this fall. The Church hierarchy invested nearly $2 million in the failed attempts to write discrimination into the Minnesota constitution and stem marriage equality in Maine, Maryland, and Washington. Dioceses from across the country supported these efforts financially, thought it’s doubtful that the parishioners fueling these contributions had any idea that their money was being used to fund discrimination.
According to Public Religion Research Institute, nearly 60 percent of Catholics support marriage equality. And an astounding 83 percent of Catholics in the United States say they don’t feel compelled to vote in accordance with the political preaching of bishops. These numbers from the laity represent people who, whether they know it or not, are living out their faith daily - Catholic social teaching promotes treating everyone with love, dignity, and respect.
But despite the values of the laity, the Catholic Church hierarchy is pouring immense resources into preventing loving, committed same-sex couples from marrying. . In fact, in the wake of last week’s historic victories for equality, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops doubled down and vowed to continue funding efforts to discriminate against LGBT people. The Roman Catholic Church will make these investments at the same time and with the same dollars that would otherwise go to support soup kitchens, homeless shelters and domestic violence programs.

Following the Money

Taking up where the Mormons left off in 2008, the Catholic Church – and its affiliate, the Knights of Columbus – have made considerable investments in the marriage fights in Minnesota, Maryland, Washington State and Maine this election cycle – spending nearly $2 million. In addition, a close ally of the Church and past co-conspirator, the National Organization for Marriage, spent more than $5.2 million this cycle. Final campaign figures for Maryland and Maine will be available by the end of the month.
Marriage equality opponents across the four states raised $11.3 million. The Catholic Church’s contributions make up 17 percent of that total figure. When you add in the contributions of Church ally NOM, the reality of the coordinated effort becomes clear: the Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus and NOM are responsible for funding nearly 65 percent of all anti-equality efforts in Minnesota, Maryland, Washington State and Maine.
The partnership between the Catholic Church, the Knights, and NOM goes back several years. In 2008, the Knights’ $500,000 donation to NOM was the largest known donation on record for the anti-LGBT group. In 2009, the Knights donated $1.4 million to the organization – enough to fund most of NOM’s successful $1.8 million push in Maine to repeal the state’s marriage equality law.
The Knights invested heavily in California’s Prop 8 battle – contributing $1 million and calling it vital to a “healthy society” that same-sex couples be prohibited from marrying and starting families.
Given this history, it’s no surprise that the Catholic Church is once again dumping a stunning amount of money into efforts that prevent loving, committed same-sex couples from marrying.  Dr. Sharon Groves directs the Human Rights Campaign’s Religion & Faith program. Dr. Groves says that the Church hierarchy’s heavy investments in anti-equality measures shouldn’t be seen as reflecting the values of lay Catholics.
“The majority of Catholics support equality for their LGBT sisters and brothers, and they do so precisely because their faith compels them to extend the same love and dignity to others with which they themselves wish to be treated. That is the Golden Rule that guides not just those in the Catholic faith, but so many people across religions. The Church hierarchy should be reflecting the values that the laity holds – instead they are supporting a discriminatory agenda that does not speak to the fundamental underpinnings of the Catholic faith.”