Your Catholic Voice, a national Catholic pro-life and pro-family advocacy group, will sponsor a marriage rally at 2 p.m. on Feb. 8 at the Statehouse to educate voters about what is at stake in the same-sex marriage debate. Attendees will also be encouraged to contact their legislators and voice their support for traditional marriage.

Former ambassador to the Vatican and president of Your Catholic Voice Raymond L. Flynn has organized the rally, in conjunction with the Massachusetts Catholic Conference (MCC) and The Coalition for Marriage, to galvanize Catholics to become involved politically in protecting marriage.

"This is one of the most important Catholic issues that we'll face in many, many years," said Flynn. "It's absolutely, extraordinarily important that Catholics get involved in the political process once again."

Flynn applauded the efforts of the MCC and the bishops of Massachusetts, but said “there needs to be a political voice as well as a moral voice, and that’s what, hopefully, we’ll try to provide” by holding the rally.

The Legislature “has an obligation to the people of Massachusetts to let them vote on this issue,” Flynn stated. The right to vote is fundamental to democracy, he continued.

"The eyes of the nation are looking at Massachusetts, and as Massachusetts goes, so goes the nation on this very, very important issue," said Flynn. "So everybody has a responsibility to get involved."

Among the invited guests at the rally are Archbishop Seán P. O’Malley, retired Supreme Judicial Court Justice Joseph R. Nolan, former Attorney General Robert Quinn and president of Concerned Women for America Sandy Rios.

In an open letter sent Jan. 29, Flynn invited all Catholics to the rally and urged them to take a stand in defense of marriage. He characterized the current political climate in Massachusetts as one of increasing “anti-Catholicism.” He said that the media, the Supreme Court Justices and non-Catholic religious leaders routinely tell the pope and the Catholic Church to “butt out” of issues that affect the core of the Catholic faith.

Instead of backing down in the face of these “powerful interests,” Flynn called Catholics to action by inviting them to attend marriage rallies and asking them to contact their state representatives.

"You must immediately let your legislators know how strongly you feel," Flynn said in the letter. "Your voice must be heard, and you deserve to vote on this fundamental issue."