Archbishop Set to Attend 'March for Marriage' in DC

San Francisco's anti-gay Catholic archbishop is again participating in an anti-same-sex marriage rally in Washington, D.C. just days before the U.S. Supreme Court is to hear oral arguments on the matter.

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone has been invited to speak at the National Organization for Marriage's "March for Marriage" Saturday, April 25. Cordileone also participated in NOM's anti-same-sex marriage rally last year.

The Supreme Court will hear arguments on same-sex marriage, stemming from consolidated cases, April 28.

Local activists were not pleased with the invitation to Cordileone, but said it would not sway the justices.

"If the archbishop speaks at the March for Marriage again, it will have zero effect on the Supreme Court," said gay activist and investor John Bare, 52. "In fact, it will do exactly the opposite of what he hopes it will do, because it will demonstrate once again to the world (and to the court) that when he speaks 'for marriage,' he is really speaking against same-sex couples, who ultimately want nothing more than to live as every other American, free to have their lives and loves respected in law and society."

Bishop Richard Malone of Buffalo and Cordileone wrote a letter to the U.S. bishops in their defense for participation in the march.

"The march will be an opportunity to stand for the good of marriage in our nation, to pray for our Supreme Court justices, and to demonstrate our commitment to the well-being of children. It complements well the bishops' Call to Prayer for Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty," the letter stated.

Both church leaders view this upcoming decision to be just as important as the Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion, according to the letter.

"The march is an important witness to a movement dedicated to building a culture of marriage and the family, and it serves to remind all people that a Supreme Court ruling will not decide the issue of marriage any more than Roe decided the issue of abortion," the letter continued. "We are deeply grateful for any support you can offer for this march."

Representatives of the archdiocese did not return a call seeking comment.

Last year, Bare participated in a petition drive that gathered over 30,000 signatures urging the San Francisco archbishop not to speak at the March for Marriage 2014 rally. Activist Gregg Cassin delivered the petition to the San Francisco Archdiocese.

"That march will happen regardless of the ruling. It is absolutely unacceptable and disturbing that he participates in a rally with anti-gay groups," said Cassin, 57, a gay man. "He's been lying to the parents, teachers and the union saying he wants an open dialogue and doesn't want to hurt people. It's incredibly harmful to young LGBT kids."

According to Bare, "the archbishop felt [so] threatened by last year's petition drive that after the march, the official diocesan newspaper published a three-part hit piece on the organizers of the petition."

Cordileone has received criticism for his request to implement new morality clauses to the revised handbook for the San Francisco Archdiocese, of which four Catholic high schools are a part. The clause specifically condemns homosexuality, marriage equality, contraception, ordination of female priests, and assisted reproductive technology such as in-vitro fertilization. He is also in the process of negotiating teacher contracts.

"As a result, 80 percent of his high school teachers signed a petition in opposition to the changes, and hundreds of parents and faculty have marched several times against him," Bare said. "If the archbishop refuses to be responsive to his priests, his teachers, his parents, and his parishioners, maybe Pope Francis is the only one who can get him to listen to reason."