Knights of Columbus' Anti-Gay Marriage Funding Sparks Petition

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - A Catholic group is delivering more than 5,000 petition signatures to the Knights of Columbus asking the Catholic fraternal organization to stop funding divisive political issues such as opposing same-sex marriage.

Catholics United Education Fund planned to protest Tuesday outside the Knights' New Haven headquarters.

The group, which claims 45,000 members, says the Knights spent more than $600,000 opposing same-sex marriage in the latest election cycle. The group says the effort drives younger Catholics away from the faith and says the Knights should focus on serving the poor and vulnerable.

The Knights said its supports Catholic social teaching, including on moral issues. The group says its first concern has always been charity, and over the past decade has donated more than $1.4 billion and 664 million hours to charitable causes