Flood watches are posted for the southern half of Minnesota ahead of a round of storms that could bring 1-4 inches of rain

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

A Minneapolis artist suspended from a job over the Catholic Church's opposition to same sex marriage says she's going ahead with her art project. 

In recent weeks, the St. Paul-Minneapolis Archdiocese sent out DVDs with a message from the archbishop urging Catholics to oppose same sex marriage. The 400,000 DVD's the archdiocese mailed include a statement by the Archbishop John Nienstedt urging passage of a constitutional amendment in Minnesota banning same sex marriage.

Lucinda Naylor was suspended from her job as a part-time contract artist with the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis when officials there learned she intended to create a piece of art using the DVDs to counter the message in them.

Naylor said the piece is a personal statement separate from her work at the Basilica.

"It's really not a protest piece," she said. "It's really not a piece that's doing anything but trying to highlight that there are wonderful and inclusive and loving people in the church."

A spokesman for the archdiocese said they support the Basilica's suspension of Naylor and that the church welcomes and supports people who are gay, but does not support same sex marriage.

Gallery

Archbishop John Nienstedt on Catholic Church's opposition to same-sex marriage

Unnamed donor paid for Catholic DVD against same-sex marriage

Catholic bishops plan campaign against same-sex marriage

Religion and Faith

Social Issues

Dan Olson

Author

A Minneapolis artist suspended from a job over the Catholic Church's opposition to same sex marriage says she's going ahead with her art project.

Suspended archdiocese artist moves forward with same-sex marriage DVD project

Go Deeper.

Like this?