By Lauren Northington

Churchgoers at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in North Side were greeted by picketers last Sunday when they left 9 a.m. Mass.

About a dozen people held signs criticizing Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine for his stance on abortion and gay rights.

Among them: “Tim Kaine & St. Elizabeth’s: You can’t be Catholic & pro-abortion, pro-same-sex marriage, pro-gay adoption, and pro-transgender bathrooms” and “Faithful Catholics Against Tim Kaine.”

The protesters stood directly across from the entrance of the church at 2712 2nd Ave.

U.S. Sen. Kaine and his wife, Anne Holton, have attended St. Elizabeth for more than 30 years, but were not in attendance at Sunday’s Mass.

During church announcements, parishioners at the largely African-American church were encouraged not to acknowledge the protesters or to speak to the media, which also was outside the church.

Contacted Monday by the Free Press, Deborah Cox, communications director for the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, stated that the diocese’s concern is that “nothing interfere with the celebration of Mass or prevent parishioners from attending Mass. On Sunday, neither interference occurred.”

The Clinton-Kaine campaign did not respond to a request for comment.