Same-sex marriage leads Catholic Charities to adjust benefits
Employees at Catholic Charities were told Monday that the social services organization is changing its health coverage to avoid offering benefits to same-sex partners of its workers — the latest fallout from a bitter debate between District officials trying to legalize same-sex marriage and the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.
Starting Tuesday, Catholic Charities will not offer benefits to spouses of new employees or to spouses of current employees who are not already enrolled in the plan. A letter describing the change in health benefits was e-mailed to employees Monday, two days before same-sex marriage will become legal in the District.“We looked at all the options and implications,” said the charity’s president, Edward J. Orzechowski. “This allows us to continue providing services, comply with the city’s new requirements and remain faithful to the church’s teaching.”
Catholic Charities, which receives $22 million from the city for social service programs, protested in the run-up to the council’s December vote to allow same-sex marriage, saying that it might not be able to continue its contracts with the city, including operating homeless shelters and facilitating city-sponsored adoptions. Being forced to recognize same-sex marriage, church officials said, could make it impossible for the church to be a city contractor because Catholic teaching opposes such unions.
After the council voted to legalize gay marriage, Catholic Charities last month transferred its foster-care program — 43 children, 35 families and seven staff members — to another provider, the National Center for Children and Families…
I find Catholics and Jews to be the easiest religious people (for me) to get along with. The actual individuals are generally pragmatic and keep the depth of their beliefs to themselves. Then I read something like this and I hate it. I hate what it says about the Church and its members.
Washington Post
Favorite This!
You find Jews and Catholics to be the easiest to get along with??
Nyokki – you must not get out much.
Of those people that conscientiously follow a religion, Jews and Catholics aren’t evangelical, they tend to keep it to themselves. Also, they seem to care less about me being atheist. I guess the caveat is that most of the ones I know are from NYC, and France.
you’re missing out on some quality batshit crazy religion shit if you’re not following along with the orthodox jews and their batshit crazy going ons.
I’ve never had a problem with them. I worked at a kosher butcher (when I was in college) and liked them (as a group) very much. The old grannies were always introducing me to their sons. Me and my boss never let on that I wasn’t Jewish. I also did home delivery and little extra things on Friday evenings, because they couldn’t do a lot of basic stuff after sundown. A little strange? Yes. Difficult to get along with? No.
Not to pick a fight… but if you were hiding the fact that you were not a Jew – YOU’RE the one who was being accommodating and not them.
I am more of the opposite.
I am a vocal atheist and I also defend the rights of gays when the issue is even hinted at.
I find the Buddhists I know (mostly Thai people) to be the easiest to get along with.
You’re prolly right. I wasn’t told to tell anyone I wasn’t or was Jewish, actually I’m not sure it came up until I had been there a while. The only incident I recall is him freaking a bit when I came in w/ my six pack of soda to put in the fridge. It was during Passover or something and everything had to be kosher. I just bought it back to the store and found kosher soda.
I imagine I’d get along w/ Buddhists as well; I just don’t know any.