The Archdiocese of Washington has changed its employee health care policy in the latest fallout from the District's decision to legalize same-sex marriage.
As of Tuesday, Catholic Charities will no longer offer benefits to spouses of new employees or to spouses of current employees who are not already enrolled in the plan.
Under the District's new same-sex marriage law, if companies and organizations offer benefits to spouses of its employees, those benefits now must be extended to the spouses of employees in same sex unions.
Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl said Tuesday that the decision by Catholic Charities to change its health coverage to avoid offering benefits to same-sex spouses of its workers is justifiable under Catholic teaching as long as the employees are paid a just wage.
Archdiocesan spokeswoman Susan Gibbs says currently about 10 percent of those employees have their spouses covered by their health care plan.
Catholic Charities, which provides services such as substance abuse treatment programs and shelters, employees some 850 people.
Last month, the Archdiocese announced it was shutting down its 80-year-old foster care program, also citing the District’s plan to legalize gay marriage.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected opponent's request to block the District of Columbia’s gay marriage law, which takes effect on Wednesday.
Filed under: District of Columbia
This is such an amazing disgrace I'm (almost) speechless. I can't think of anything less Christian than this decision. I'll tell you what, it would even be better if they just came out & said we hate gays & won't extend benefits to gay spouses. At least that way they won't penealize their hetro employees. That said, I think it's just awful that the dioceses would actually do this just to make sure a gay person won't have healthcare. What's more I guess it will help them "smoke out" any gay's they have already under their employ. This is hypocritical on so many levels. I can't imagine Jesus sanctioning such a hateful policy. Maybe the FOX News version of Jesus, but not the one I learned about growing up.
"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ" Gandhi