It appears that Ritchie's new ballot title language has some gay marriage opponents looking for retribution.

Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie. Daily Globe/Pioneer Photo/Scott Wente.

This fall, the state of Minnesota will be voting on an amendment that would forbid same-sex couples from getting legally married. Not that it’s an option in the state now, but conservatives have created an amendment to ensure that no one gets any crazy “equality” notions and allows it down the road.

As Secretary of State, Minnesota Democrat Mark Ritchie took the liberty of using the power of his office to name the amendment for the ballot. The new title?

“Limiting the status of marriage to opposite sex couples.”

Gay marriage opponents were incensed. To retaliate, they have pressured St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church from their invitation for Ritchie to speak on “A Spiritual Path for Democracy,” a Mass scheduled for August 12th. In response, the church has postponed his appearance.

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“The invitation to him is in the process of being withdrawn,” Jim Accurso, spokesman for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis told the St. Paul Pioneer Press Tuesday, July 31. “He will not be speaking on the 12th.” Accurso pointed to Ritchie’s public opposition to the ballot initiative as a reason, calling Ritchie’s input on the campaign “not appropriate.”

But was it withdrawn, or just postponed? According to the church itself, its the latter.

Dennis Heaney, a spokesperson for St. Joan of Arc Church, told LifeSiteNews on August 1 that there was never a cancellation. Since the speech “became such a media event,” they decided it was better for the community and for Ritchie to reschedule. Heaney insisted the church discussions about the event and the rescheduling had nothing to do with Ritchie’s role in rephrasing the marriage amendment bill. Heaney did not wish to comment on why the speaking engagement had become such a “media event.”

Now the question is until when is it postponed. Indefinitely? Or just until the election is over?