The Pope has also adopted a more liberal view on homosexuality than previous Church leaders – but has stopped short of approving same-sex marriage.
During Mr. Ebrard's six-year term, this city has aspired to be a progressive New World capital, legalizing abortion and approving same-sex marriage.
The New Jersey Catholic Conference helped deliver about 156,000 signatures asking legislators to enforce the civil union law instead of approving same-sex marriage.
Two men became spouses a year ago during a ceremony at a northern Michigan Indian reservation after the tribal chairman signed a measure approving same-sex marriage.
One of the leading opponents, Senator Dan Swecker, a Republican, said he worried that approving same-sex marriage would "create a hostile environment for those of us who believe in traditional marriage".
Besides approving same-sex marriage, Washington voters last month also passed ballot measure I-502, legalizing possession of up to an ounce of marijuana for those 21 and older.
The model also projects, however, that a national referendum to approve same-sex marriage would have narrowly failed last year, 48 percent to 52 percent, despite national polls showing more voters approving same-sex marriage than opposing it.
The US Episcopal Church, the Anglican body in the United States, is alone among Anglican bodies in approving same-sex marriage and has faced a backlash for its support.
He has said that he would abide by the results of a referendum approving same-sex marriage, but advocates say putting the issue on the ballot would invite national groups to campaign against it — and defeat it, as they have in most states.
He also spoke out against an initiative approving same-sex marriage — though some of Bergoglio's collaborators say the issue was never close to his heart.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Thursday offered a tongue-in-cheek Valentine rhyme in celebration of the Illinois Senate's historic vote approving same-sex marriage.
