63 FORMER ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS TO RELEASE STATEMENT SUPPORTING MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN WASHINGTON

A group of 63 priests with more than 800 combined years of service to the church are coming out in support of marriage equality on Thursday, the Seattle PI reports:

“We are uneasy with the aggressive efforts of Catholic bishops to oppose R-74 and want to support the 71 percent of Catholics (Public Religion Research Institute) who support civil marriage for gays as a valid Catholic position,” they said in a statement.

Former priest Pat Callahan, who organized the statement, added:  “This is the first public action we’ve taken.”  Callahan was in the Catholic priesthood for 15 years.