Posted on 03/20/2014 7:35:27 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
A Roman Catholic diocese in Massachusetts that refused to sell a historic mansion to a gay couple is facing mounting legal pressure.
Massachusetts' Attorney General Martha Coakley recently filed a brief in support of the gay couple who are suing the Diocese of Worcester alleging discrimination.
Filed before superior court earlier this month on behalf of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Coakley argued that the diocese's actions constituted "sexual orientation discrimination."
"The commonwealth's compelling interest in protecting gays and lesbians from discrimination derives from their status as a politically vulnerable minority that has suffered a history of discrimination, which continues to this day," reads the brief in part.
"… though the diocesan defendants assert a sincerely held religious belief, their free exercise claim fails the rest of the compelling interest test, and they are not entitled to an exemption."
The Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General provided The Christian Post with a press release sent out last Thursday, wherein Coakley stated that her office respects the freedom of religion.
"Our laws provide important protections for religious organizations and people of faith. … These laws also strike a balance between religious freedoms and the rights of individuals to be free from discrimination," said Coakley.
"In this case, we believe that this family was unfairly discriminated against by the diocese when it refused to sell them property based on their sexual orientation."
A couple years ago, James Fairbanks and Alain Beret sought to purchase a historic mansion in Northbridge that the Worcester Diocese used as a nonprofit church-affiliated retreat center.
According to Fairbanks and Beret, although the diocese initially accepted their offer for a sale in spring 2012, the Catholic officials changed their minds and ended negotiations.
The alleged reason came through a leaked email in which diocesan officials expressed concern that gay marriages might be held at the mansion, reported Lisa Wangsness of the Boston Globe.
"The couple sued the diocese in September 2012. The parties moved for summary judgment last month, and oral arguments are scheduled for April 22," wrote Wangsness.
Gavin Reardon, attorney for the Worcester Diocese, told CP that the decision to reject Fairbanks and Beret's offer had to do with finances rather than sexual orientation or gay marriage.
"From the diocese's perspective, this is a failed real estate sale and really doesn't have anything to do with discrimination," said Reardon.
"The negotiations had ceased prior to any information about the possibility of same-sex marriages being conducted at the property."
Reardon said that Fairbanks and Beret had "made an offer for approximately half as much money for less than the whole property and the diocese rejected that offer."
"These people never came up with the money," said Reardon, who added that the leaked email had been sent out two days after the deadline for negotiations on the mansion.
Reardon also told CP that both the Worcester Diocese and the plaintiffs are seeking a summary judgment, which means they are requesting a decision by the judge without a trial based on the facts already present.
Christians better step up and defend each other. This is getting way out of hand.
How is this different than refusing to sell to a black couple?
Once you put something up for sale you can’t control ‘who’ buys it.
Just go ahead and give Antarctica to the population and let them all move there and find something else to be outraged about
Now they want to control who you can sell your property to? Crazy
“The negotiations had ceased prior to any information about the possibility of same-sex marriages being conducted at the property.”
HOWEVER the headlines will be written that paint the Christians as SATAN and few will be the wiser.
BAN HOMO PROPAGANDA NOW!
Just go ahead and give Antarctica to the gay population and let them all move there and find something else to be outraged about
Yeah.
Right.
See how the supposed "Christians" step up and defend each other on this forum ...
Oh, yes.
They don't.
They tear each others' heads off.
I suppose some people will give me the finger and call me a n00b ...
But it's still true.
One is a skin tone and one is a behavior
I just wonder when the physical persecution begins?
“The negotiations had ceased prior to any information about the possibility of same-sex marriages being conducted at the property.”
the “buyers” could even come up with the funds necessary for the purchase
this SCAM was perped in order to WEE WEE on the Church
The Bible does not discriminate against people according to RACE..but its clearly discriminatory against those who commit abominations
there IS NO BLACK-GAY corollary
RE: BAN HOMO PROPAGANDA NOW!
How do you do that without stepping on the Freedom of Speech clause of the first amendment?
It was my high point of Sarcasm for the day
Im sick of scams like this alleged discrimination.
they set this mess up to play victim and the headlines are all that anyone remembers
In this case they hadnt the FUNDS.....to BUY the place.....they claim they were KEPT from purchasing.
the article HEADLINE athough true didnt REFLECT to core issue ..that ebing that this mess is mere HOMO PROPAGANDA
“Once you put something up for sale you can’t control ‘who’ buys it.”
First Amendment: Freedom of association.
I don’t have to sell an adjacent lot to a hazardous waste outfit, for example, or anyone else I don’t want to sell to.
The Left hates contracts that are not routed through the central government- look at what they did to the preferred stockholders of GM, for example.
this is just a free money ploy....
My comments were based on the inclusion of "here we go again" in the title. That led me to believe this was a flimsey claim. Upon closer inspection, it does seem there is some question as to whether this was based on the issue of 'same sex partners or the possibility of same sex marriages being conducted on the property':
Excerpt:
Gavin Reardon, attorney for the Worcester Diocese, told CP that the decision to reject Fairbanks and Beret's offer had to do with finances rather than sexual orientation or gay marriage.
"From the diocese's perspective, this is a failed real estate sale and really doesn't have anything to do with discrimination," said Reardon.
"The negotiations had ceased prior to any information about the possibility of same-sex marriages being conducted at the property."
Reardon said that Fairbanks and Beret had "made an offer for approximately half as much money for less than the whole property and the diocese rejected that offer."
"These people never came up with the money," said Reardon, who added that the leaked email had been sent out two days after the deadline for negotiations on the mansion.
Reardon also told CP that both the Worcester Diocese and the plaintiffs are seeking a summary judgment, which means they are requesting a decision by the judge without a trial based on the facts already present.
If I list the property with a realtor, then I can't control who buys the property. .
So you put your house up for sale for a million dollars. I offer $300,000 and I only want to buy 1 acre, not 10.
I'll come over to sign the papers tomorrow.
Why not? What if somebody planned to open an abortuary or center for satanic worship?
Seriously? You insult black people everywhere by asking that question.
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