Contact: Matt Smith, Catholic Advocate, 202-521-9828

WASHINGTON, May 9, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- Catholic Advocate President Matt Smith issued the following statement in response to President Obama "affirming" he believes same-sex marriage should be legal during an interview with ABC News today:

"Once again, the President is spending time advancing an anti-Catholic agenda. Marriage was created long before any government came into existence. It is a settled issue in the eyes of the Catholic Church and should not be redefined.

"First, the Obama administration takes away grant money helping victims of sex-trafficking over the Church refusing to refer the victims for abortions. Then the Obama administration violates our religious liberties by forcing Catholic institutions to pay for contraception, abortifacients, and sterilization as the President's health care law is being implemented. And now, should his advocacy for same-sex marriage succeed, Catholic institutions could be forced once again to violate our beliefs.

"Many faithful Catholics were fooled by clever political rhetoric in 2008. This year, the anti-Catholic record of the Obama administration should inform their vote."