Dayton on archbishop meeting: not much marriage talk
DFL Gov. Mark Dayton hosted a private breakfast this morning with Archbishop John Nienstedt and Catholic Bishops from around Minnesota, but according to the governor, they did not spend a lot of time discussing same-sex marriage.
Nienstedt was a leading supporter of last fall's failed campaign to amend the state constitution with a ban on same-sex marriage. Catholic leaders are now lining up against the proposed legislation to legalize gay marriage in Minnesota.
"We didn't talk at all about the amendment, and we really didn't talk about the law or its prospects or anything like that," Dayton said.
Dayton said only aspects of the issue came up, including a concern about being punished for applying their religious principles. On other issues, he said the archbishop and bishops expressed support for a minimum wage increase and more funding for families on public assistance. Dayton said he also heard concerns about the impact of proposed anti-bullying legislation on private schools.
"They think they're doing a better job of preventing bullying in their schools," he said. "They think some of the requirements that are being written into the legislation now would be undully prescriptive and restrictive."
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