Rainbow Sash Movement (LGBT Catholics) responds to Bishop Thomas Paprocki homophobic nonsense in Springfield, IL concerning Gay Marriage

CHICAGO, Nov. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a Catholic bishop in Springfield, Illinois, Satan was behind his state's recent legalization of same-sex marriage. This is the same thing he said when the Catholic Church was being publically criticized for the clergy sexual abuse scandal.

We call on Cardinal Francis George and the Illinois Conference of Catholic Bishops, to condemn this Bishop's abuse of the ancient rite of Exorcism, to achieve political ends. It is quite obvious to most reasonable people that Pope Francis has decided to focus on love and compassion, and speak to and of the poor and disadvantaged constantly contrary to what Paprocki says. 

Joe Murray, Executive Director of the Rainbow Sash Movement said, "This is no more than a theatrical attempt to capture media attention not for the good of the Church, but rather to promote his personal biases against the LGBT Community. Bishop Paprocki needs to address those who disagree with him with dignity and respect, and not name calling. In this we would advise him to follow the lead of Pope Francis' shift in tone and outreach.

"Clearly the Pope has told Bishops such as Paprocki to stop obsessing about gay marriage, abortion, and birth control and focus more on needs of the poor, a message this Bishop clearly has missed. We challenge him to focus on the needs of the poor in our midst rather than focus on dividing people in such an ugly and arrogant fashion. With humility comes authority, focus on what unites, not what divides.

"Today a brother Catholic Governor Pat Quinn will sign the Gay Marriage Bill making it the law of Illinois effective June 2014, and Illinois will become the 16th state to legalize Gay Marriage. In this the Governor focuses on the light of human reason, understanding, and tolerance and contrary to Paprocki he does not focus on the darkness of bigotry and intolerance."

SOURCE Rainbow Sash Movement