While reaffirming that the Catholic Church has "nothing but the utmost respect and care for individuals with homosexual orientation," the bishop expressed his disappointment that Gov. Lincoln Chafee was limiting debate on such an important matter to the legislature and not allow a "full, robust and open discussion" by the citizens of the state.

Bishop Tobin has found strong support for his position on same-sex marriage in Episcopal Bishop Geralyn Wolf and in Imam Farid Ansari, of the Muslim America Dawah Center of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Council for Muslim Advancement.

"As Episcopal bishop of the Diocese of Rhode Island, I firmly support the traditional definition of marriage as the union between one male and one female," Bishop Wolf said in a statement released to Rhode Island Catholic. "I believe that Holy Matrimony is a sacred religious rite, whose definition should not be re-interpreted by legislation or civil courts."

"Legislators could honor the civil rights of all individuals by eliminating the term 'marriage' and substituting the term 'civil unions.' Religious organizations could then make their own decisions as regards to the recognition or non-recognition of these 'unions'," Bishop Wolf said in her statement.

According to a statement released by the Media Committee of the Rhode Island for Muslim Advancement, the Islamic community of Rhode Island "affirms the standards set forth in the Torah, Gospel and Holy Qur'an on the issue of same-sex relationships and marriage."

"We are deeply concerned and conscience stricken with the intended passage of law to legalize 'same-sex marriage'," the statement says.

Imam Ansari said the statement represents the opinion of seven different Muslim communities in the state.

"We echo the words of Bishop Tobin in that same-sex marriage is morally wrong," Imam Ansari said in an interview with Rhode Island Catholic. "It leads us down a very slippery slope."

Imam Ansari asked the Muslim communities to draft a statement of their position on the issue.

He said representatives of the communities would welcome an opportunity to testify before the Judiciary Committee regarding their views on the issue.

In December, the United States Council of Catholic Bishops signed a joint letter of religious leaders defending marriage.

"The law of marriage is not about imposing the religion of anyone, but about protecting the common good of everyone," said Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, newly elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and one of the letter's signers. "People of any faith or no faith at all can recognize that when the law defines marriage as between one man and one woman, it legally binds a mother and a father to each other and their children, reinforcing the foundational cell of human society.

Members of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas have long been opposed to same-sex marriage, viewing it as a moral crisis in the nation.

In a 2003 release, the bishops, representing more than five million Orthodox Christians in the United States, Canada and Mexico spoke of their deep concern about the legalization of same-sex marriage.

"The Orthodox Christian teaching on marriage and sexuality, firmly grounded in Holy Scripture, 2000 years of church tradition, and canon law, holds that marriage consists in the conjugal union of a man and a woman, and that authentic marriage is blessed by God as a sacrament of the church," the release said.

Sponsored by Rep. Arthur Handy (D-Dist. 18 Cranston) and co-sponsored by several members of the House including Speaker Gordon D. Fox, the bill, 2011-H 5012, removes gender-specific language from the section of the General Laws that governs eligibility for marriage and inserts language that allows any person to marry any other eligible person, regardless of gender.

The Diocese of Providence continues to issue a clarion call to action for the faithful to prevent the passage of a same-sex marriage bill in Rhode Island.

For the past two weeks, the diocese has placed full page ads on the back page of Rhode Island Catholic warning of the dangers presented to the institution of marriage by well-funded special interest groups who are pressuring the General Assembly to pass legislation that would approve same-sex marriage.

The ad identifies the hidden impacts of the legalization of same-sex marriage, such as children in Massachusetts-where same-sex marriage is legal-being taught as early as kindergarten about the issue.

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