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Posted on 11/13/2009 9:29:37 AM PST by Pyro7480
The Archdiocese of Washington said Thursday that it will not extend benefits to same-sex married couples employed in Catholic schools -- a pre-emptive defiance of a bill expected to coast through the D.C. Council by the end of the year.
"If this law is passed, we will have to break the law before we give up our religion," said archdiocese spokeswoman Susan Gibbs.
A bill pending in the D.C. Council would allow same-sex marriages to be performed in the District. Currently, the District recognizes same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions.
The church operates 21 schools in the District, attended by 6,400 students. Ms. Gibbs said the archdiocese is aware that it would be open to legal liability for not complying with city law.
"The challenge in the District is that we could be at risk for litigation for not providing these services," she said.
She said none of the organizations affiliated with the Catholic Church will offer benefits to same-sex married couples.
The archdiocese told council members in a letter this week that passage of the bill could jeopardize the charitable services offered by Catholic Charities, which administers the church's social programs in the city....
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Catholic ping!
Whoever gave it to him needs to pass out some more.
Maybe the bishops have waked to a realization that the world of Obama is not much different from the world of Zapero, the anticlerical socialist premier in Spain.
Providence Hospital is also Catholic, isn’t it?
Over by Catholic U and the Basilica...
Some thoughts for Abp. Wuerl, from Toby Keith:
And justice is the one thing
You should always find
You gotta saddle up your boys
You gotta draw a hard line
Stick to your guns, Your Excellency. Tell the District where to put their 30 pieces of silver. The Lord will provide.
“This will be a huge victory.”
It will be a pyrrhic victory.
Why is this even an issue? A Catholic school should not be employing anyone who is “married” to a person of the same sex ... nor anyone else who is openly in defiance of Catholic morality.
How so? The Catholic Church is even more hated by leftists worldwide than is the Republican Party.I see no downside (politically or PR-wise) for the left here.
Morally,of course,is a different story.
The Grace of God. Now, what gave him the willingness to cooperate with that Grace...prayers? His, or ours?
Close down the schools. Let the district wonder where to put 6400 new students.
Take the Catholics to court. Threaten them with taxes.
You wait it’s coming.
Yes, tax religion.
And what’s this walking nonsense, TaX it.
I see it as a pyrrhic victory because the Church is not goint to comply with this law. So if the city wins and the Church has to either comply with the law or close its offices within the city limits, the city will lose an enormous amount of services provided by the Church.
Makes no difference; just as long as he KEEPS it!
Makes me wonder, though. If the DC Council passes this, and the Church follows through and pulls her involvement in Social Services for the District, just WHO will the City Council turn to to replace ALL those things the Church did? Anyone think those same sex 'married' couples, or the liberals who are helping push this through, are going to pick up the the slack?
It is apparent the local communities who are so bent on dismantling the churches and in particular the Catholic Church, have really no quantified concept of the financial cost avoidance provided by the churches. I have no concept either but it is most certainly not insignificant. A tax on the churches as even some not so liberal folks think to be a good idea would have the same economic affect as taxes on the individual. It would reduce the financial resources necessary to provide the vital societal safety nets. Government could pick up the left off but considering Government tends to be at best 50% as effective as the private sector, a still large number of needy will remain out in the cold. With cities and states already hurting financially, it is amazing how the leftist agenda’s still trump common sense. But, then, that implies the left has common sense. In summary, the added burden on the tax payer; because, after all, the tax payer funds the government; will be staggering. And, of course, a further tax burden on the tax payer will further reduce charitable giving; creating a near endless downward spiral.
They shouldn’t even hire same-sex couples.
The church is way more efficient and effective than the government bureaucracy. Most folks if you want your kid to get a reasonably cheap and decent education will go to the Catholic schools.
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