Bishop Tobin: Reject same sex marriage

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) -- Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin is calling on Rhode Island's General Assembly to reject same-sex marriage in the state.

In this week's Rhode Island Catholic column, Bishop Tobin called same-sex marriage, " immoral and unnecessary" and said the General Assembly to "protect marriage as a sacred union of one man and one woman."

• In-Depth: Same-Sex Marriage

He also said that Rhode Island should wait for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on whether the "Defense of Marriage Act", which defines marriage between a man and a woman, is constitutional.

The Bishop's letter comes after lawmakers in both the House and Senate introduced bills to legalize gay marriage in Rhode Island during the first week of the 2013 legislative session.

House Speaker Gordon Fox has promised a vote on the bill by the end of this month.

Rhode Island is the only state in New England where same-sex couples are not allowed to wed.

Voters in Maine passed a gay marriage referendum in November, joining Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont.