Thursday, November 12, 2009

D.C. Archdiocese wants changes in same-sex marriage bill

The Archdiocese of Washington is continuing to press for broader exemptions in the D.C. Council bill to legalize same-sex marriage, warning that Catholic Charities may not be able to serve residents of the city if the bill is not changed.

Hours after the Committee on Public Safety and Judiciary approved the bill Tuesday, the Catholic Church sent a letter to Council member Phil Mendelson (D-At Large) calling for additional changes to the legislation. If church officials are not successful, the letter states, "services will be impacted."

"The exemption language contained in the committee [bill] is far too narrow, and must be expanded to include appropriate safeguards to protect religious freedom to preserve the ability of Catholic Charities and other service providers to continue to serve the growing and unmet needs of the residents of the District of Columbia," wrote Jane G. Belford, the chancellor of the Archdiocese.

The council bill, sponsored by Council member David A. Catania (I-At Large) but partially rewritten by Mendelson, states a church or religious official can deny services related to the "solemnization, celebration, or promotion" of a same-sex wedding without fear of running afoul of the city's anti-discrimination laws.

But churches would still have to abide by other aspects of the city's Human Rights Act, including not discriminating against gay employees who choose to get married.

In her letter, Belford argues the bill still leaves the church vulnerable to lawsuits if it or its members decide not to sanction same-sex marriages.

The church, for example, believes it should be able to deny partner medical benefits to same-sex couples who are legally married. Under the Human Rights Act, such discrimination could be judged to be illegal. Church officials also argue individuals should be able to cite their religious belief to exempt themselves from having to participate in same-sex weddings and related activities.

Council members argue that would open the door to discrimination. At Tuesday's council hearing, Council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3) questioned why wedding photographers should be allowed to pick and choose the clients they serve.

"That would be discrimination, right?" Cheh asked.

But Belford argues city officials are discriminating against the church by not agreeing to broader exemptions.

"Though the proponents of this bill frame the issue as a clear-cut matter of equality and civil rights, it must be seen in the context as a task in balancing competing interests: the interest of the [gay] community to be able to marry freely and the interests of the religious community to be able to practice religion freely," Belford wrote.

Despite the continued efforts to pressure the council, it appears doubtful that the church will be successful. In recent days, influential gay rights activists have been digging in to fight the Catholic Church over the issue.

Richard J. Rosendall, a vice president of the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington, D.C., said in an interview Tuesday the Church's position would "gut" the Human Rights Act.
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