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Cardinal George Asks Catholics To Oppose Gay Marriage Bill

By Chuck Sudo in News on Jan 1, 2013 8:15PM

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Cardinal Francis George
Illinois could pass legislation legalizing gay marriage as soon as the current state Legislature's lame duck session ends Jan. 9. Cardinal Francis George is hoping he can use his influence to stop that from happening and issued a pastoral letter Tuesday urging Chicago Catholics to contact their state representatives to vote against the pending legislation.

Calling same-sex marriage a "legal fiction," George wrote, "The State has no power to create something that nature itself tells us is impossible." State Sen. Heather Steans and Rep. Greg Harris, sponsors of the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, said they intend to introduce the legislation when the Legislature reconvenes this week, but won't put it up to a vote unless they're certain they have the votes. George is hoping the letter to his priests is enough to keep Steans and Harris from having the necessary votes, unlike his 11th hour appeal when Springfield legislators passed the Illinois Civil Unions Law in 2010.