AUGUSTA – New Maine Bishop Richard Malone met for the first time with legislators today, remaining uncommitted on the issue of gay rights, but making it clear the church will not support weakened abortion laws or same-sex marriage.

Malone also said he’d favor proposals to strengthen efforts to protect children from sexual abuse, saying the church’s credibility has been harmed by the priest scandal. At the luncheon with lawmakers, Malone also said the church will help immigrants and will “combat discrimination.”

He did not bring up gay rights, but when asked if he would support Gov. John Baldacci’s upcoming bill to end discrimination against gays in the areas of housing, employment and credit, Malone said he’s not sure.

“I’m not ready to say I’d support or oppose it. I want to be able to study that bill when it’s ready to move forward,” the bishop said. In 2000 the Catholic diocese supported a gay rights law that the public later rejected at referendum. Malone said he wanted to get a look at Baldacci’s proposal before deciding.

Malone became the Catholic bishop of Maine on March 31. He told legislators Tuesday the church is interested in the work they do, and praised them for their public service, calling it a “noble calling.”

The church of 230,000-plus Mainers cares about the poor, human rights, the vulnerable, supports access to quality health care for all and making the world into “a civilization of love,” Malone said. The church will always argue “that the state always has a responsibility to care for those who cannot care for themselves.”

The church’s credibility as a moral teacher was hurt by the recent sex abuse scandal, “from which we are, thank God, slowly emerging,” Malone told lawmakers. “It was a horrific thing, and I am solidly committed to reach out to victims, to protect children through our church and by supporting legislation.”

Sexual abuse by priests was rooted in the “non-observance” of Catholic moral teachings, and compounded by “poor management of cases on the part of some bishops,” he said, noting the church is ready to deal appropriately with abuse in the future should it arise. Malone said he’ll work against abortion, and that the church’s commitment to marriage and family is based on the understanding that marriage “is the union of man and woman, and nothing other than that.”

Not all legislators agree with him on abortion and marriage, Malone acknowledged. He said he hoped that Tuesday marked “the beginning of a relationship of mutual respect and open, wholesome cooperation for the common good of the people of our great state” and greater glory of God.

Speaking to reporters after the lunch, the bishop said he’s analyzing recommendations on how the diocese can best structure churches throughout Maine, considering limited funds and numbers of priests. Malone said he would not be surprised if there were further church consolidations, but that no decisions have yet been made.

More outgoing than his predecessor, Bishop Joseph Gerry, Malone said he plans to let Catholics and state lawmakers alike know where the church stands on issues, and why.