Faith groups continued to mobilize around the issue of gay marriage this week. On Capitol Hill, conservative religious leaders voiced their opposition to any efforts to repeal a federal law that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. They also condemned President Obama’s personal support for gay marriage. Meanwhile, earlier in the week the NAACP came out in favor of gay marriage. The group’s president called it one of “the key civil rights struggles of our time.”

In a coordinated effort, 43 Catholic institutions filed federal lawsuits to stop the Obama administration’s plan to require free coverage of contraceptive services. Among the plaintiffs were Catholic dioceses, hospitals, social service agencies, and universities, including Notre Dame. They say the requirement would infringe on their religious freedom. Supporters of the coverage plan say a proposed compromise would avoid religious liberty concerns, but the Catholic bishops reject that compromise. Meanwhile, a new Gallup poll found that 82 percent of U.S. Catholics believe birth control is morally acceptable. Fifteen percent said it was morally wrong.

Watch our discussion of Catholic Institutions v Obama Administration.

An estimated 40,000 ultra-Orthodox Jewish men gathered at the New York Mets Citi Field last weekend for a rally on the dangers of the Internet. Organizers say they are worried about online pornography and the way in which the Internet changes social behavior. Although no women were allowed to attend, they were able to watch as the event was streamed live—over the Internet.

A legal organization that focuses on religion cases released a music video highlighting what it calls the attack on veterans’ memorials. Liberty Institute says memorials such as the Mt. Soledad cross in California have been targeted by groups that object to their religious imagery. The memorials have faced legal challenges in the past from opponents who argue their presence on public land violates the separation of church and state.

The Jewish holiday of Shavuot begins at sundown on Saturday (May 26). Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai.

Sunday (May 27) is Pentecost for Western Christians, when they celebrate God’s gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church. According to the New Testament, the Holy Spirit caused Jesus’ followers to speak in tongues.

On Tuesday (May 29), Baha’is observe the anniversary of the ascension of Bahaullah, when they commemorate the death of their founder in 1892.

Monday (May 28) is Memorial Day.

As world leaders gather at Camp David this week for the annual G8 summit, several humanitarian and faith-based aid organizations urged them to address issues of hunger and poverty alongside discussions of the financial crisis in Europe. The groups called on the G8 to fulfill earlier pledges to fund a large-scale hunger initiative. Adam Taylor is a vice president of World Vision:

Adam Taylor (World Vision): “We know this is a very tough financial time for Europe and for the United States, but we believe those leaders can still maintain those commitments and even increase them even in tough economic times, and it’s the right thing to do, it’s the moral thing to do.”

On Friday (May 18), prior to leaving for Camp David, President Obama announced a new international alliance to promote secure access to food and nutrition. The alliance will include public and private investments. The president called promoting food security “a moral imperative.” Also this weekend, Obama prepares to join international leaders at a NATO meeting in Chicago. On the agenda: allied troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

This week the rhetoric heated up over Georgetown University’s decision to invite Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to speak at one of the university’s commencement events. The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington called the invitation “shocking,” and said Sebelieus’s actions as a public official present “the most direct challenge to religious liberty in recent history.” Sebelius, a Catholic, has been severely criticized over her role in requiring health insurance coverage for birth control and for her support of abortion rights.

Several evangelicals praised Mitt Romney for his commencement address last weekend at Liberty University, the conservative Christian institution founded by the late Jerry Falwell. Romney spoke about the importance of religious freedom and the role of faith in public life. Although he didn’t mention his Mormon faith by name, he did say he and evangelicals share common values:

Mitt Romney: “People of different faiths, like yours and mine, sometimes wonder where we can meet in common purpose, when there are so many differences in creed and theology. Surely the answer is that we can meet in service, in shared moral convictions about our nation stemming from a common worldview.”

Romney also reiterated his opposition to same-sex marriage.

Debate continued over the possible consequences of President Obama’s announcement last week that he now supports same-sex marriage. Many African-American religious leaders expressed disappointment with the president’s decision and have begun a campaign calling on him to reconsider. But other black pastors who support gay marriage launched their own new effort called NoWedge2012. They are urging that gay issues not weaken or divide the black vote in this election.

There was more scandal this week involving the Catholic religious order the Legionaires of Christ. Three years ago, it was disclosed that the late founder of that order had molested seminarians and fathered three children. This week, one of the order’s members, Reverend Thomas Williams, admitted that he had broken his own vow of celibacy and fathered a child. Father Williams is an American moral theologian and a popular author and TV commentator. Legionaire officials have acknowledged that Father Williams’s superiors knew about the child but did not discipline the priest. Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported that the Vatican is investigating charges of child molestation against six other Legionaire priests.