Lawmakers Defy Catholic Church On Gay Marriage

WASHINGTON — The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington wants the city to change its proposal to legalize same-sex marriages to exempt the church from the law, but so far city council members aren't budging.

Catholic Charities provides social services to about 68,000 people, some of which are city contracts like the management of homeless shelters. The marriage bill would not require churches to perform same-sex weddings, but because Catholic Charities uses city money, the archdiocese fears it would have to offer employee benefits to married same-sex couples.

The marriage legislation is expected to pass next month and has the mayor's support.

Jane G. Belford, the chancellor of the Washington archdiocese, wrote Councilman Phil Mendelson on Wednesday asking for an exemption to protect the church's religious freedoms. The church wants to be exempt from any measure that would require it to extend benefits to same-sex couples.

Council member Tommy Wells said it would be dangerous to let the Catholic church start writing D.C. laws, a sentiment expressed by Mendelson and other members.

"Allowing individual exemptions opens the door for anyone to discriminate based on assertions of religious principle," Mendelson said. "Let's not forget that during the civil rights era, many claimed separation of the races was ordained by God."

Archdiocese spokeswoman Susan Gibbs said the law would require city contractors to ignore their religious principles.

"We are not threatening to walk out of the city," Gibbs said. "The city is the one saying, 'If you want to continue partnering with the city, then you cannot follow your faith teachings.'"

Catholic Charities, one of dozens of nonprofits that partner with D.C. government, manages city-owned shelters that serve about one-third of Washington's homeless population. The group's contracts totaled $8.2 million in the past three years, according to the city council.

Council chairman Vincent Gray said Thursday the city would have to find another group to provide social services if the church backs out. He said he didn't see any room for compromise.

Council member Jim Graham said the church hasn't abandoned social services in Connecticut, Vermont or New Hampshire, which will begin issuing same-sex marriage licenses in January. But Gibbs said the D.C. law was more restrictive and the relationship between the diocese and those states vary.

Catholic Charities halted its adoption programs in 2006 in Boston because Massachusetts banned discrimination against same-sex couples who want to adopt children.

Comments

[Martha12]

Catholic Charities, a part of the Catholic Church, helps over 68,000 people in Washington D.C., including the homeless. It’s not just volunteer work — they get paid for this.

From 2006 through 2008, [council member David A.] Catania said, Catholic Charities received about $8.2 million in city contracts, as well as several hundred thousand dollars’ worth this year through his committee.

But if a new bill gets passed by the city council next month which would make it illegal for groups receiving city money to discriminate against gay people, they will be “unable to continue the social service programs“?

At least some city council members are speaking out:

The church’s influence seems limited. In separate interviews Wednesday, council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3) referred to the church as “somewhat childish.”

Another council member, David A. Catania (I-At Large), said he would rather end the city’s relationship with the church than give in to its demands.

End the relationship. Good riddance. Hopefully, other groups will step in to fill in the hole.

Listen to how Susan Gibbs, spokesperson for the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, defends the Church’s actions:

She said religious groups that receive city funds would be required to give same-sex couples medical benefits, open adoptions to same-sex couples and rent a church hall to a support group for lesbian couples.

http://friendlyatheist.com/2009/11/13/the-catholic-archdiocese-of-washington-wont-help-people-unless-gays-are-discriminated-against/

[PhilipB]

Well that is a good point. Gay or straight, I do believe that many who have worked for Catholic Charities would not like to see their work abandoned. I would love to hear from employees and volunteers who are passionate in helping the needy, and their thoughts on abandoning the community they have served over treating gay people as human beings with rights under law.
With all the back and forth on this issue, I would sincerely love to hear from an advocate for the elderly, mothers and children.
I do not believe that this issue is so insurrmountable that in accepting gay people as employees would threaten the great work of Catholic Charities so much that they would have to abandon their mission to the truly needy.
I just simply cannot imagine it, and I would hope that reasoned minds within the business( yes, business) of catholic charities could come to a accomadation of all gods children in continuing their mission.
All the best to you,

[trdsf]

In my world, one does charitable work for its own reward, not in order to blackmail a city into enshrining church doctrine as civil law by threatening to withhold it.

This is why I know a lot more *former* Catholics than I do *practicing* Catholics.

[dryrock]

Good point, trdsf.

The government should never have partnered with religion. The churches segregate their budgets so they don't have to spend any of their own money on charitable works, and then claim credit for the work that the government funded.

I remember reading a post in the Living section, in which one line stood out (paraphrased):

"...Lend a helping hand just because its there to be done." (Buddhist, if memory serves)

I'm an old man now, and was raised Catholic (glad that's over); and the Church I grew up in preached care for people - no qualifiers, just people. I was 15 when I got THE shock of my life (yes, it was painful); then, as the NT verse goes: The scales fell from my [crying] eyes.

[AejB]

Amen! I hate it when church and state are in bed together.

[DannyEV]

i'd be interested in how all the gay employees of Catholic Charities feel about this. Including the clergy.

[ampersand59]

Yes! all those who believe the church should be exempted can also exemp them from pedophile laws too. There is nothing special about the church to exempt it from any law in the US; the only exemption they should get is exemption from certain tax laws. Period.

[TexasDem0]

No problem Bishop. I'll just stop sending money to Catholic charities and send it to those charities that don't interfere in politics.

[NYCSocialWork]

I was born and raised Catholic. The Church needs to recognize that it's decisions like these make people like me become agnostic or just find other inclusive places to practice their beliefs.

They wonder why fewer and fewer people fill the pews on Sunday- look in the mirror.

[coopt]

Catholic Charities is forthrightly exercising its religious freedom -- protected by the Constitution -- and is acknowledging that the DC Council, as of last Tues, has made RCC ineligible for social services contracts that DC has relied on RCC to fulfill in the past.

Unlike CT and VT (and to a lesser degree NH), the DC Council -- at the urging of ssm activists -- has pointedly withheld any conscience protection for religious dissenters in their ssm initiative.

RCC will continue their charity work in DC -- but not on behalf of/under contract to the District of Columbia.

[opinioned1]

You want to start setting policy,start paying your share of taxes. Other wise just STF up.

[NYCSocialWork]

Agreed, beliefs are beliefs, but just remember that as a 501(c)3, either keep your opinions to yourself or start preparing for April 15th like the rest of us...

[Zanti]

A lot of the Big Polluters who skip out of paying income tax get to write environmental laws. Or at least they did when Cheney was president.

[WATCHDOG1]

And then there is the Catholic Church... Looks like it's time for Gay Catholics to take a stand.

[Zanti]

More like, switch churches. Imo, at least.

[DannyEV]

then virtually all their clergy would have to leave.

[jeremyfive]

Kick Catholic Charities out of the government benefits business. They have no business there.

Martin Luther would be proud.

[WTxIndependent]

Doesn't the "Free Exercise Clause" give the church the right to marry who they want and reject who they want no matter the reason?

The only reason the catholic church is allowed to LEGALLY "marry" people is because state governments give them that privilege. Whether a person is "married" by a priest or a judge, the action is the same: they are vested by the state to basically give the OK on a contract (marriage license).

The church part is nothing more than a ceremony. The simple solution is to strip the privilege from the churches/clergy and allow only state employees (judges, etc) to officially "OK" a marriage as LEGAL. It doesn't mean that churches cannot have marriage ceremonies, they can continue to do so, but a couple would still have to go before a judge to have their contract, their marriage license, deemed legal.

[stevebest]

if you had read the article you would know the church isnt concerned that they will have to marry gays they are worried they will have to pay same sex benifits to married gay employees

[DannyEV]

good. they're standing up for concerns they've always cared about: the protection of wealth.

[ampersand59]

FYI the church does not marry anyone; the authorized official perform the the religious ritual; sined and witnessed the contract [required by the state] of both persons marrying each other. In the church the wedding has two component (ritual and contarctual); before a Justice it has one; contractual. Plain and simple, take it from me married for thirty three at the record office and not by those fraudsters.

[TheProf]

I guess they think Jesus would say: "If you won't let us persecute someone, we'll just take our marbles and go home." Great church I was raised in. I wonder why I left? Hmmmmm

[RockyMissouri]

Is this charity? or Catholic church 'charity' ?

[chaya]

I hope the Catholic Church keeps refusing to provide services in cities and states where gay civil rights take hold. Once they stop providing services in most of the US, they will no longer hold the US in their thrall--and that will doom them to irrelevance. Think of it. A day when some mean old white man in Italy is no longer able to dictate American law.

[hallowellboy]

America's Taliban.