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(Denver, Colorado) Roman Catholic churches throughout Colorado will be used to collect signatures for two ballot measures that will restrict the rights of same-sex couples.
One is an amendment to the state Constitution to ban gay marriage, the other would block benefits to same-sex couples.
There are about 370,000 Catholics in the state. The ballot measures each need about 68,000 signatures by Aug. 7 to qualify for a statewide vote.
Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput said that petitions on the two gay issues and a third on abortion are to be made available in every parish in the state.
"If these important measures do not get on the ballot in November, we will have failed to add to our state laws a strong message of respect for our families and new life," Chaput wrote in the Denver Catholic Register.
Under Chaput's instruction bishops in the state will read pastoral letters or write columns in area Catholic papers in support of the proposed amendments.
"If same-sex marriage is legalized here, churches that refuse to perform these "weddings" could lose their tax-exempt status," Colorado Springs Bishop Michael Sheridan wrote in his diocesan paper, The Colorado Catholic Herald.
"Any religious teaching which condemns homosexual acts (would be) considered hate speech and is punishable by imprisonment. This reduces the Christian view of marriage and sexuality to bigotry."
Neither statement is correct according to organizations fighting the amendments.
While it is likely the group behind the marriage amendment will be successful in having gay marriage banned the move to curb benefits may fail.
Last week the Colorado Supreme Court has rejected a challenge to the measure. LGBT civil rights group Coloradans for Fairness and Equality told the justices that referendum also deals with more than one subject. Colorado law permits only one issue to be placed on any one referendum question.
The high court rejected the argument and supporters of the amendment have begun collecting signatures to get the referendum placed before voters.
The measure is in response to a third referendum that will go to voters which would allow same-sex couples to register as domestic partners. That proposal was approved by the legislature and does not need the collection of signatures to go on the ballot.
Polls in the state have indicated that most voters would approve banning same-sex marriage in the constitution but are opposed to including partner benefits.
©365Gay.com 2006
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