A
list of signatures from Catholics angered at the church's role was
presented to the Argentine Episcopal Conference at its headquarters in
Buenos Aires.
The country's Senate
voted down a bill to decriminalize abortion on August 9, two months
after it had been narrowly approved by the Chamber of Deputies.
"We
have taken a big step today. We are presenting about 3,000 apostates,"
said Fernando Losada, using the formal term for those who abandon their
religious faith.
"It's time to
completely separate the church from the state. In society, it is
understood that the church and the state do not go hand in hand," said
Losada, who is with the Argentine Coalition for a Lay State (CAEL),
which organized the protest.
The group launched its campaign following the Senate vote.
While
Pope Francis, the former archbishop of Buenos Aires, remains highly
influential, CAEL said anti-church sentiment was growing in the wake of
the abortion vote.
