Catholic Archdiocese Threatens DC City Council Over Marriage Bill

The Catholic Church would rather be allowed to discriminate than help the homeless. The Archdiocese of Washington D.C. now says if the District's marriage equality bill is passed, the Church will cut social service programs that help tens of thousands of residents with adoption, homelessness and health care, reports the Washington Post.

Under the bill, headed for a D.C. Council vote next month, religious organizations would not be required to perform or make space available for same-sex weddings. But they would have to obey city laws prohibiting discrimination against gay men and lesbians. Fearful that they could be forced, among other things, to extend employee benefits to same-sex married couples, church officials said they would have no choice but to abandon their contracts with the city. 'If the city requires this, we can't do it,' Susan Gibbs, spokeswoman for the archdiocese, said Wednesday. 'The city is saying in order to provide social services, you need to be secular. For us, that's really a problem.' "

Catholic Charities, serves about 68,000 local residents, including about a third of the city¹s homeless who go to city-owned shelters managed by the church, city officials said. Between 2006 and 2008 Catholic Charities received some $8.2 million in city contracts. The marriage bill's main sponsor, Council member David Catania, says he would rather end the city's relationship with the Church than give in.

It's not the first time a faith-based provider of social services has threatened to stop providing services in response to gay rights or marriage equality. In 2006 in Boston, Archbishop Sean P. O¹Malley said Catholic Charities would stop its adoption-related work rather than comply with the Massachusetts law that allowed gay men and lesbians to adopt children.

Priorities, priorities.

Comments

[Luther]

I'm so sick and tired of these hate organizations, sorry churches, with this trash, they really need to lose that tax exemption since they are in the business of politics more than anything else these days.

[Chris Cruz]

Anytime they are ready to stop pedophiles in the church and sexual abuse, let us know.

[Brien]

This is what happens when there is no separation of church and state. The whole notion of faith based funding is very discriminatory and they accept government monies without following government mandates. No state should be held hostage by any organization.

[Isis]

This is beyond appalling! I just don't see how they can say they are doing God's work! This is extortion or blackmail.

[kayman]

I say let them revoke their contract, but they will have to pay the city back for breaking that legal document. Instead, the inclusive religious organizations and denominations should step up and show the people of DC and the DC metropolitan area that they are an aide to everbody regardless of their background.

I'm wondering and waiting to see what will happen when other cities across the South will do when this issue comes up...

[Reggieh]

"Extortion or blackmail"? It's blackmail: Do what I say or else....totally sad and anti-God.

[Jim]

I would think that if Catholic Charities receives about $2.7 million annually in city contracts, they would have more to lose than DC does.

While faith-based charities may do some good work, they act, at the same time, as fronts for churches and denominations that recruit. It angers me greatly to know that my tax dollars are being used, directly or indirectly, to recruit often psychologically vulnerable and needy people into organized religion. It is as if I am paying to enlarge the ranks of my own oppressors.

All tax-funded charity should be performed either by a government agency or a completely secular organization.

Please DC: Pull the plug on these evil-doers!