Portland Catholic Diocese leaves Maine Council of Churches to maintain its anti-gay bias

National Cathloic Reporter - The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, Maine, is withdrawing from the Maine Council of Churches in a bid to distance itself from LGBT advocacy and other stances that the church says could compromise its public moral witness.

The decision comes after a council decision to let its public positions be determined by a majority vote among its members. Previously, the council would only take a stand when its eight denominational members voted unanimously to do so. The council's membership will drop to seven after the diocese leaves at the end of June.