Too much faith, not enough money!

Time and time again, we are told that there is nothing like the separation of church and state in order to keep a moral society. Though I agree with the previous, it seems as though not everyone does. Within her news post, Michele Somerville makes it a point to make this evident as she exposes the actions of two Catholic Bishops who fail to realize that they are called to be “teachers and priests, not Emperors”.
New York Archbishop and United States Conference of Catholic Bishops president Timothy Dolan recently wrote to Barrack Obama asking him to sign the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). DOMA consists of two sections, “one defining “marriage” for purposes of federal law, and the other affirming federalism principles under the authority granted by Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution, the Full Faith and Credit Clause. The first section states that for purposes of federal law, marriage means a legal union between a man and a woman, the second section reaffirmed the power of the states to make their own decisions about marriage”.
As a Catholic, Timothy Dolan claims that his desire to have DOMA signed has a lot to do with the fact that he will not sit around and be silent while there are federal steps being taken against marriage, the laws which defend it and religious freedom as well.Though I understand that within Catholic beliefs, same sex marriage is deemed a sin, I do not see DOMA as a constitutional addition to society in anyway shape or form. It is nothing new to see someone within a religious leadership position like the one Dolan is in to expect his followers to have the same political views as his own. Even with that, Dolan fails to take into consideration two things, first and foremost the fact that there are even some Catholics who partake in enjoying the freedom which is entitled to everyone through the first amendment, and second the fact that even those who do wish to go through with a homosexual marriage have the same constitutional rights as anyone else to fulfill their needs for happiness.
DOMA is undoubtedly discriminatory because if it were to be implemented as Dolan wants it; it would restrict the marriage and reproduction rights of any non-Catholic person and it would thus be considered a religious law. Sadly, Dolan is not the only Catholic bishop who is attempting to utilize his works of mercy as a means a leverage. Similarly, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio has utilized his column and leadership within the religious system, to urge those around him to vote against the Child Victim's Act which helps the children who have been abused by priests. DiMarzio even went as far as threatening to close the parishes of those who failed to vote in the way he favored.
In short, I believe that though everyone is entitled to the First Amendment, Dolan and DiMarzio take it too far as to where imposes on the freedom of others. If they are not wise in the path they take from here forth, they can lose a lot of the benefits they receive as a mean of being exempt from paying taxes to the government. The fact that they are intertwining secular law with canon law is risky as well. They are crossing the fine line that lies between the separation of church and state, while simultaneously taking credibility away from Catholicism worldwide. If bishops like these do not cease their actions pertaining to the church/state divide, they will ultimately lead to the downfall of their parishes.