Minnesota Independent

Cathedral of St. Paul. Photo: jpellgen, Flickr

Catholic bishops seek budget solution that helps poor, includes abortion ban

By Andy Birkey | 07.13.11 | 11:21 am

Archbishop John Nienstedt and the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy wing of Minnesota’s Catholic bishops, said Tuesday that they want a resolution to the state shutdown that protects poor Minnesotans. But their request also contains a slew of controversial social issues, including vouchers for private school students and a ban on certain forms of stem-cell research. The bishops didn’t back either Gov. Mark Dayton or legislative Republicans, but did criticize cuts to the social safety net.

Archbishop Nienstedt: Gay marriage ban is not anti-gay

By Andy Birkey | 06.09.11 | 1:05 pm

Archbishop John Nienstedt penned a column on Thursday defending the Catholic Church’s decision to lobby for an amendment that would add a ban on same-sex marriage to the Minnesota Constitution. He said the amendment is not “anti-gay, mean-spirited and prejudicial.” Later in the column he endorses the words of his fellow Catholic, the Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, who says if same-sex marriage is legalized, it could lead to polygamy and incest.

ELCA, Catholic bishops urge Dayton, legislators to protect poor in budget battle

By Andy Birkey | 03.15.11 | 11:02 am

Catholic and Lutheran leadership in Minnesota sent an open letter to Gov. Mark Dayton and state elected officials on Monday urging them to preserve access to basic needs for the state’s poor. Both Dayton and Republican leadership have proposed cuts to projected funding for social services to fix a $5 billion budget hole, with Dayton proposing a mix of cuts and new revenue and Republicans proposing cuts alone.

Evangelicals talk same-sex intercourse at Family Council press conference

By Andy Birkey | 09.28.10 | 9:24 am

The Catholic Church’s anti-gay marriage campaign is getting a boost from evangelical pastors. On Monday the Minnesota Family Council called in a cadre of evangelical leaders to express support for Archbishop John Neinstedt’s campaign for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in Minnesota. The rhetoric repeatedly circled back to gay sex, with pastors claiming the “body parts don’t fit” and that marriage serves society by “channeling” male passions.

Catholic bishops preparing anti-gay marriage campaign in Minnesota

By Andy Birkey | 09.15.10 | 8:10 am

Some of Minnesota’s Catholic bishops are preparing a push against the legalization of same-sex marriage in the final two months of the 2010 campaign season. So far, most Minnesota bishops are not making their plans public, but Bishop John Quinn of the Winona Diocese gave parishioners a glimpse in a recent newsletter. “The bishops of Minnesota are alarmed by the continuing attacks on the institution of marriage, and we are taking action,” he wrote.

Archbishop inadvertently generates $14K in Planned Parenthood donations

By Andy Birkey | 04.13.09 | 4:58 pm

In a culture war where negativity often rules, pro-choice advocates used a recent anti-abortion protest featuring Archbishop John Nienstedt as a way to raise funds for their efforts.