Rhode Island is the only state in New England that has not legalized same-sex marriage. Last week Maine left Rhode Island behind, as its same-sex marriage law went into effect. But the leader of Rhode Island’s Catholic Church is calling on state lawmakers to buck the New England trend.
Bishop Thomas Tobin wrote a column in the Rhode Island Catholic that called homosexual activity, “sinful, contrary to God’s plan,” and something that “should never be encouraged, ratified or ‘blessed’ by the state.”
Tobin’s statement comes as Rhode Island lawmakers are considering gay marriage legislation this month. Cranston representative Art Handy has sponsored a same-sex marriage bill eleven times in the Rhode Island House. He says morality is a personal decision.
"It varies from faith to faith and person to person," says Cranston. I think that’s an unreasonable place to go when we are talking about a secular society with a lot of different faiths and people with a lot of different morals."
Rhode Island already recognizes civil unions, which provide the same rights and benefits as married couples under state law. The Rhode Island House is expected to vote on the marriage bill later this month.
