Wednesday, Oct 23, 2013

marriage certificate More than 2,500 Illinois residents descended upon the state Capitol on Wed., Oct. 23 for a “Defend Marriage Lobby Day.”

Efforts to change the state’s legal definition of marriage from “between a man and a woman” to “between two persons” dominated the legislative session last year.

Senate Bill 10 passed the Senate in February, but was not called for a vote in the House by the May 31 deadline because it lacked the votes needed for passage.

The legislature met for the first week of its fall session on Oct. 22-24, and will meet again Nov. 5-7. There is always the possibility that SB 10 could be called for a vote in the House.

That’s why the Catholic Conference of Illinois promoted the “Defend Marriage Lobby Day” at the Capitol in Springfield. Download a flier about the day here.

See photos from the day here. Officials with the Illinois Secretary of State’s office — who are in charge of security for the Capitol building — estimate attendance at the lobby day at 2,500.

The schedule for the day was as follows:

9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.       Prayer rally outside at the Lincoln statue on east side of Capitol

11 a.m. – 1 p.m.            Marriage rally in the Rotunda

                                      Msgr. Carl Kemme of the Springfield diocese will speak.

1 p.m. – 3 p.m.              Prayer rally in the Rotunda

1 p.m.                           Jericho prayer walk around Capitol — meet at the Lincoln statue

All day                           Lobby your state representative

The “Defend Marriage Lobby Day” was sponsored by the Illinois Family Institute.