All hands on deck:

A spokesman for the US bishops' conference has challenged all American Catholics to "step forward and advocate for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as federal policy," after President Barack Obama announced his support for repeal of the legislation.

"We just can't simply sit back," said Daniel Avila, a policy advisor to the bishops on marriage issues. While he acknowledged that repeal of DOMA is not imminent, he urged Catholics to stay alert: "All those concerned about the preservation of marriage simply need to pay attention, stay tuned, and be ready to respond."