Contact: Chip White, ProtectMarriage.com, 916-251-4392

SACRAMENTO, Nov. 3 /Christian Newswire/ -- The California Catholic Conference today condemned as "bigoted and intolerant" a new 'No on Proposition 8' television commercial scheduled to run on TV stations tomorrow.

The ad, produced by a group called 'Courage Campaign Issues Committee and viewable here, depicts supposed missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints conducting a home invasion of a lesbian couple's home to steal their wedding rings and rip up their marriage license.

Bishop Stephen Blaire, the President of the California Catholic Conference decried the new advertisement from opponents of Proposition 8 as "a blatant display of religious bigotry and intolerance." He expressed dismay that any public media outlet would give it an airing. "The YES on 8 campaign is not about discrimination and intolerance; it is about restoring the traditional definition of marriage for the good of society and children," said Bishop Blaire. "All individuals and groups, whether religious or not, have both a right and a responsibility to participate in a civil debate about this important issue. From the beginning of this campaign the Catholic Conference has stressed the importance of mutual respect and denounces this type of religious bigotry."