After an Illinois immigrant-rights
coalition endorsed a proposed gay marriage bill, the Catholic
Campaign for Human Development threatened to cut off funding to 11
affiliated groups.
According to The
Chicago Tribune, officials overseeing the Roman Catholic
anti-poverty program told the groups to abandon the Illinois
Coalition for Immigration and Refugee Rights or face losing their
Catholic funding.
Nine groups gave up grants totaling
nearly $300,000.
The marriage bill stalled in the
Illinois House after the Senate approved the measure on Valentine's
Day. Debate on the issue is expected to return to Springfield on
Tuesday as lawmakers reconvene for the fall session.
(Related: Will
Illinois gay marriage bill stall as debate returns to Springfield?)
Jenny Arwade, executive director of the
Albany Park Neighborhood Council, told the paper that it does not
“have a formal stance on marriage equality.”
“Our organizational values are that
we believe in equal rights for all people,” she said. “We were
disappointed in the decision. We also believe it's the church's
decision to do what they want to do.”
Cardinal Francis George, Chicago's
archbishop and a staunch opponent of marriage equality, defended the
decision.
“Donors to the [Catholic Campaign]
give to this anti-poverty organization with the understanding that
their money will be passed on to organizations that respect the
teachings of the Catholic faith,” George said in an open letter in
July. “Organizations that apply for funds do so agreeing to this
condition.”
(Related: Chicago's
Archbishop Francis George says gay marriage is “unnatural.”)
An emergency fund set up to help the
struggling groups has raised $91,000 toward closing the nearly $300,000
gap. Gill Foundation and Crossroads Fund are among the groups who
have contributed to the Solidarity
Fund.