DC’s Newly Elected Mayor Signs Anti-Catholic Bills

A while back, I wrote to you about a bill which passed the DC Council.  Now, Mayor Bowser has signed two bills:

Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Amendment Act, which could coerce religious organizations to work with and hire those in favor of abortion and force employers to cover elective abortions in their health plans

Human Rights Amendment (don’t you just love how they use language to hide their motives) repeals an exemption that protected religious schools and universities from approving or funding homosexual advocacy.

For more, go to The Cardinal Newman Society:  http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/CatholicEducationDaily/DetailsPage/tabid/102/ArticleID/3918/Mayor-Signs-Coercive-Bills-Damaging-Religious-Freedom-of-D-C-Catholic-Schools-Colleges.aspx

PS:  I wonder if we will see anything about this in the Catholic Standard.

Today's Washington Post

Some of you probably have read the Metro section of today's Washington comPost and the story entitled: Archbishop takes a reluctant turn in the spotlight - Tactics in same-sex marriage controversy concern D.C. Catholics.

In looking at the story, there are two things that I noticed. First, that the writer did not say that the Archdiocese will continue to serve the poor with the available resources. They will do without the contracts and the money from those contracts. Second, that they only interviewed one "Catholic": Ron Castaldi of the "left-leaning Holy Trinity parish" (the author hit that nail on the head!). Don't know if Kevin Chavous is Catholic or not (the main websites do not indicate any religous affiliation).

Although I have not agreed with much of what the Archbishop has done, I do hope that he holds firm on this one.

Archdiocese Stands Tall on Gay Marriage Issue

Well, I thought that I would never see this day, but the Archdiocese is really standing its' ground on the gay marriage issue in DC. It has basically told the DC Council (who seems to see this as a threat), that they will begin to shut down their various services to the homeless, if the legislation forces them to basically recognize gay marriage, as part of their various services. For more information, click here.

Considering the fact that the Archdiocese pumps in $10 million donated by Catholics, and countless hours, to help the homeless, I think that the DC Council may want to reconsider their actions.

However, since they seem hell bent on doing this, I am challenging the the gay community to put your money where your mouth is. If you believe so strongly in your cause, raise over $10 million dollars per year from your own pocket (not from the taxpayer) and donate 1000s of hours to help care for the homeless in the District.

Either put up of shut up.

For more on this, The Foundry, American Papist and Marriage Matters.

Church Draws the Line Over DC Gay Marriage Law

From WMAL:

(Washington, DC) -- The Catholic Church says it'll end all social service programs it runs for the city if the bill legalizing same sex marriage is passed as it's currently written.

Currently, the bill would not require any religious organization to perform or make any accommodations for same-sex weddings if it doesn't want to. But they would have to obey city laws that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.

A spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Washington says it will not continue working with the city if it is forced to accept conditions it finds morally disagreeable.

The church tells the Post the DC Council is ignoring the right of religious freedom. The archdiocese is not a dominant provider in any social service, but its work helps 68 thousand city residents, including a third of Washington's homeless population.


In addition, it seems that Yvette Alexander (Ward 7) attempted to add some language to protect religious groups from having to rent facilities, etc., to events that were deemed objectionable to their faith. This seems to have been shot down.

Gay Marriage Bill Introduced in DC Council; Some Catholic Lawmakers Support

David Catania introduced legislation to recognize gay marriage in the District of Columbia.

Vincent Gray, a Catholic, is a co-sponsor. Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) of St. Anthony's parish is supporting the measure. Yvette Alexander of Holy Redeemer has declined to co-sponsor the legislation but she did support it much earlier in the year.

Here is my original story on this.
Here is the Washington Post's take on it.

Two DC Stories - Schools and Gay Marriage

Yesterday, I happened to have CNN on and saw a commerial calling upon the Most Merciful, Lord High Barack Obama to support the DC Opportunity Scholarships. WOW.

Then, I saw this story a short time ago on the Washington Examiner:

Since earning passage in Congress in 2003, the program has granted federally funded vouchers for children to attend private school in the District. But this year, a Democratic Congress is less inclined to renew it.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., chairman of the appropriations subcommittee responsible for the vouchers' funding, has criticized the program for a lack of proof that students are doing any better in private schools than in public institutions.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has recommended continued funding only until the 1,700 students currently enrolled have graduated.
But parents, students and teachers have consistently expressed enthusiastic support.
Wearing a yellow shirt emblazoned with "Put Kids First," Anacostia resident Virginia Thomas shouted support for the program that allows her to send two children to Academia de la Recta Porta International Christian Day School.
"They are excellent children, they are polite, they are mannerable, they don't fight, they don't cuss," she said, explaining that private school offers a more orderly environment than Anacostia's public options.
As she cheered, speakers not often in agreement took to the podium. D.C. Councilman Marion Barry, D-Ward 8, altered the words of the spiritual "Go Down Moses" to "Go down, Mr. President, go down to the Capitol and save D.C. schools."
Barry was followed by President George W. Bush's education secretary Margaret Spellings -- an advocate during her four years in office.
Father Stephen Carter, pastor at Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Mount Pleasant, made the trip with his students.
"There's a lot of praying going on," Carter said, dressed in the brown cloak of Franciscans. "You wait for a miracle. Because it's a long shot -- a very long shot."

According to the Examiner, D.C. Councilman David Catania said he will introduce legislation Tuesday that would legalize same-sex marriages in the nation’s capital.

DC has three Councilmembers who are Catholic. All have supported this effort.

Well Done Archbishop Wuerl

As many of you know, I have been very critical of Archbishop Wuerl for not fighting hard for Catholic issues. However, it is important to give credit where credit is due.

The Archdiocese has decided to fight the issue of gay marriage in DC. According to 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.

"We will continue to let the voice of the Church, the teachings of the Church, be heard as clearly as it can be heard," Wuerl said. "That is why we have sent out so much material to our priests to help them explain this to our faithful people."

Council member David A. Catania (I-At Large), who plans to introduce a bill this fall legalizing gay marriage in the District, said he will not be deterred by the Catholic Church's increased involvement.

"We have a long tradition in this city of evolving toward equality and a better, more expansive view of human rights, and in 2009 this includes marriage equality for same-sex couples," said Catania, who is gay. "I respect the bishop for his view . . . but we live in a representative democracy where there is a separation of church and state. We do not live in a theocracy."

Wuerl 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.
The proposed initiative says, "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized in the District of Columbia."

But the elections board must first rule on whether the initiative request is valid. In the District, a referendum cannot be held on a matter that violates the city's Human Rights Act. In addition to other minority groups, the act protects gays and lesbians from discrimination.
In June, the board blocked an effort by Jackson to hold an initiative to reverse a council bill allowing the District to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. The two-member board cited the Human Rights Act in its decision.

"It is ironic that at the same time the city is asking for voting representation in the U.S. Congress, its leaders are denying residents the opportunity to participate in the democratic process for an issue with widespread implications for children and families," said Ronald Jackson, executive director of the D.C. Catholic Conference, who noted that 580,000 Catholics live in the District and suburban Maryland, the areas that make up the archdiocese.
Wuerl, who became archbishop in 2006, has largely steered clear of controversial political and cultural battles in the region. But in his letter to the priests, Wuerl writes that "marriage is a path toward holiness . . . so as members of the church we are obliged to be all the more attentive to the challenges that weaken marriage."

Wuerl, former bishop of the diocese of Pittsburgh, added that the Church is "committed to develop opportunities for parishioners to be involved to ensure that the true definition of marriage is upheld in the District of Columbia."

But Wuerl and Jackson, pastor of Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, could take their case to a broader national audience if the council rushes through a same-sex marriage bill without allowing the public to vote on it.

"This is not a local issue," said Wuerl, noting that other states are debating the issue. "People always look at the District of Columbia through a magnifying glass, and we need to be aware of that."
It is important to note that three of the DC Council members who voted in favor of this are Catholic: Yvette Alexander (Ward 7) is not only a member of Holy Redeemer Parish but she is on the Parish Council. Murial Bowser (Ward 4) is a member of St. Anthony's Parish. Vincent Gray (Chair) is also Catholic. However, I am not been able to identify which parish he is affiliated with.

Now, I also hope that our priests will stand with the Archbishop on this.

DC Council, Catholics and Gay Marriage

Last week, the Washington DC Council voted to unanimous (12-0) to recognize "marriages" to homosexual couples. However, there will need be a final vote on this in May. It probably would have been 13-0 but Marion Barry did not vote.

So, here we have the DC Council voting on this and at least three of the council members are "practicing" Catholics.

Yvette Alexander (Ward 7) is not only a member of Holy Redeemer Parish but she is on the Parish Council.

Murial Bowser (Ward 4) is a member of St. Anthony's Parish.


Vincent Gray (Chair) is also Catholic. However, I am not been able to identify which parish he is affiliated with.


Will their pastors speak with them about this? I hope so, but I doubt it.

Will the DC Catholic Conference lobby against this with them? I hope so but I don't think it will do much good.

Will the Archdiocese say something to them? I hope so but I also don't think it will do much good, even if they do.

Little by little, society's morals are slowly being eroded. Little by little, our pastors and bishops do not fight the good fight but seem to be more interested (at times) in being a good social service agency than fighting for morality.

Update: This morning on WMAL (630AM), there was a report on this and Susan Gibbs, the spokesperson for the Archdiocese said that if this was as important a vote as they say it is, then why is it not open up to public discussion. Good point. But even if we would be able to convince the three Catholics to vote against it, it would still pass.

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