Washington D.C., Mar 2, 2010 / 22:44 pm
Rather than cancel its partnerships with the District of Columbia, Catholic Charities of Washington, D.C. has announced that it will end health coverage for new employees’ spouses in order to comply with the requirements of a new same-sex “marriage” law.
The D.C. City Council’s law recognizing same-sex “marriage” purported to protect religious freedom. However, it required religious entities which serve the general public to provide services to homosexual couples, even if doing so violated their religious beliefs.
Catholic Charities receives $22 million from the city for social service programs, the Washington Post reports. The organization was already forced to end its eight-decade-old adoption and foster care programs because they would have been required to act according to the District’s redefinition of marriage.
Edward J. Orzechowski, President and CEO of Catholic Charities of Washington, D.C., stressed in a March 1 letter to staff members that current employees’ coverage will remain the same unless they request certain revisions in benefit coverage.