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

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.

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