Washington D.C. Archdiocese Joins Fight Against Marriage Equality

Donald W. Wuerl, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Washington D.C., joins the gay-bashing crusade Bishop Harry Jackson and announces his strong support for a voter initiative next year to ban same-sex marriage in the District, reports the Washington Post.

Wuerl sent a letter to 300 local Catholic priests Tuesday reminding them about the Church's opposition to same-sex marriage, and he launched a round of media interviews to bolster the church's presence in the debate.

In his efforts to mobilize Catholics, Wuerl joins a group of Baptist, predominantly African American preachers in stepping up the pressure on D.C. officials to allow a public vote on whether same-sex marriage should be legalized. Wuerl made launched the media offensive on the same day that eight opponents of same-sex marriage, including Bishop Harry Jackson, filed a request with the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics to hold a initiative next year defining marriage as being between a man and a woman.

"One challenge we see today is a lack of understanding by many people about what marriage is," Wuerl said in a statement. "Marriage simply recognizes a relationship that is fundamental to nature: the complementarity of man and woman."

The Archdiocese submitted a letter in support of the ballot measure to the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics. Archbishop Wuerl's same-sex marriage offensive comes at the same time archdioceses across the country—and in his own Washington DC—are closing Catholic churches and schools due to lack of funds.

Priorities, priorities.

Comments

[Jim]

Wuerl's same-sex marriage offensive comes at the same time archdioceses across the country—and in his own Washington DC—are closing Catholic churches and schools due to lack of funds.

Priorities, priorities.

Actually, the hypocrisy here is not as severe as one might think.

Time and again, the preaching of anti-gay bigotry has proven to be an incomparably successful fund-raiser.

[PDQ]

Apparently not this time. I'd also ask Wuerl what he's going to do to stop spousal abuse, adultery and divorce. That's where the real threat to the sanctity of marriage is.

[DFS]

I was raised Catholic. This organization surrendered ANY moral legitimacy and high ground a long time ago. Check out the Penn and Teller episode on the Vatican. From the deliberate cover up of child sexual abuse to the irresponsible stance on condom use in Africa, they have dropped the ball time and again