Former Catholic priests back gay marriage in Washington state

http://news.yahoo.com/former-catholic-priests-back-gay-marriage-washington-state-025531378.html

By Jonathan Kaminsky | Reuters – 12 hrs ago

OLYMPIA, Washington (Reuters) - A group of former Catholic priests backed gay marriage in Washington state on Thursday in a challenge to bishops who have lobbied against same-sex nuptials ahead of a November ballot measure that could legalize such unions in the state.

The 63 former priests said they took their stand to counterbalance efforts of the Roman Catholic Church's leadership to defeat the Washington ballot initiative as a threat to religious liberty.

"We feel the bishops are abusing their power in attempting to direct Catholics on how to vote on this civil matter and impose their position on all citizens, Catholic and non-Catholic," the former priests said in a statement.

Washington state's Democratic-controlled legislature voted this year to legalize same-sex marriage and Governor Chris Gregoire, a Democrat and a Catholic, signed the measure into law in February.

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