Posted on 07/22/2015 5:10:09 PM PDT by markomalley
In the wake of the Supreme Court decision creating gay “marriage” nationwide, the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., is leaving it unclear for now whether they intend to allow employees in same-sex “marriages” and offer them same-sex spousal benefits.
In a blog post on June 26, the day of the ruling, Cardinal Donald Wuerl indicated the archdiocese is struggling over the issue.
“On a very practical level, there is a concern about the new definition of ‘spouse’ and its legal ramifications,” he said. “In this area for example, we must find a way to balance two important values, the provision of appropriate health care benefits for all Church personnel including their spouses, and the avoidance of the perception that by doing so we accept a definition of marriage and spouse contrary to faith and revealed truth.”
LifeSiteNews sought clarification from the archdiocese, and a diocesan spokesperson sent the following response, reiterating what the cardinal had said:
The Supreme Court’s ruling does not change the Church’s teaching on marriage. The Archdiocese of Washington will not be doing same-sex marriages. As for the question regarding benefits, the archdiocese must find a way to balance two important values, the provision of appropriate health care benefits for all Church personnel including their spouses, and the avoidance of the perception that by doing so we accept a definition of marriage and spouse contrary to faith and revealed truth.
The archdiocese did not respond to follow-up inquiries asking for clarification.
While there were numerous strong responses to the decision from Catholic bishops, some even upholding the possible need for civil disobedience, Wuerl insisted the Church “will abide by the law,” while also insisting the Church would stay true to its teaching on marriage.
“The law of the land is the law of the land,” Cardinal Wuerl said. “We certainly follow what the law says. That doesn’t mean we change the word of God. That doesn’t mean we change the scriptures, or the church’s millennia-long tradition of what marriage is.”
"The Church has better things to do than spend millions of dollars on lawsuits," he added. "The Church will abide by the law."
The Catholic Church’s highest teaching authority has emphasized Catholics’ duty to oppose same-sex unions, while also allowing for prudential decisions on how best to do so.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI), made the Church’s most direct statement on the issue in 2003, with the approval of Pope St. John Paul II. All Catholics are “obliged to oppose the legal recognition of homosexual unions” and where such unions are given the legal status and rights that belong to marriage, “clear and emphatic opposition is a duty,” said the document, titled Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons.
In addition to Catholics in general having a duty to clearly oppose homosexual “marriage,” a Catholic politician “has a moral duty to express his opposition clearly and publicly and to vote against” such unions, and if it already is the law, the politician still must oppose it and has a “duty to witness to the truth,” it continued.
“The common good requires that laws recognize, promote and protect marriage as the basis of the family, the primary unit of society,” it added.
In a 1992 document approved by Pope St. John Paul II, Cardinal Ratzinger wrote, “Finally, where a matter of the common good is concerned, it is inappropriate for Church authorities to endorse or remain neutral toward adverse legislation even if it grants exceptions to Church organizations and institutions.”
“The Church has the responsibility to promote family life and the public morality of the entire civil society on the basis of fundamental moral values, not simply to protect herself from the application of harmful laws (cf. no. 17),” it added.
Cardinal Wuerl made confusing comments at last year’s Extraordinary Synod on the Family about the indispensable relationship between doctrine and discipline when, speaking in regard to divorced-and-remarried Catholics, he said the reception of Communion was not a doctrinal position.
The Archdiocese of Washington publicly rebuked a parish priest in 2012 for upholding Canon 915 by denying Communion to a woman who identified herself to him just prior to her mother’s funeral as an open lesbian.
God help us, I pray that Francis approves that retirement...immediately.
I await their decision with eagerness.
That means “eventually, after all the obligatory caterwauling, yes we will”. Otherwise, they would just say no.
Cardinal Donald Wuerl indicated the archdiocese is struggling over the issue
they are struggling, he says, how can that be? aren’t they Christians?
no you dont balance them. that is liberalspeak.
you follow your supposed religious teaching. you do not obey immoral laws, god’s law over’man’s law, when the two are in conflict. they are so happy to ignore immigration laws, to the point of giving sanctuary to illegals, but here they hem and haw.
Religions are going to have schisms over homosexual marriage.
Homosexual marriage is a red flag of how much has changed in our culture, and a red flag of further changes. Its very predictable. Some religions will hold fast to their traditional teachings and traditional marriage definition. Others will try to “change with the times” and try to be more liberal. Its very predictable that there will be splits and upheavals in church memberships too, as individual people have to decide if they want to go along with these changes.
STRUGGLING???? You are an ATHEIST ,Wuerl if you don’;t FIGHT THUIS!!!! STRUGGLING>?>> OMG!!!
Socialism first!
By the way, I want to apologize for posting this article...as it makes me seem like a member of the “damnation brigade” and would not want to “scare people away from the faith” by taking off my rose colored glasses every now and again.
I can’t dream of working at my archdiocese in Texas. I MUST speak Spanish. I believe speaking English is optional not sure. I speak two other languages but I’m not learning Spanish I do know that people can claim to be bilingual whether or not the can read or write in English. But I digress
This archdiocese can discriminate on the basis of not speaking a foreign language But the Archdiocese in DC can’t doscriminate on the basis of not practicing Catholicism
Sick There is something sick going on with so much illogical pandering by our institutions
I do wonder if I’d have a better chance getting hired here by this archdiocese If I were one of the released illegals Sen Cruz inquired about yesterday in the hearings, than I do as a lifelong, and continual adherent to the true tenets of Catholicism and a combat veteran with impeccable background
I am honestly afraid of the answer It’s going to be a lot of work picking up the pieces of this mess the liberals are creating have created. Trump knows it so does Cruz.
Anyone wondering why either one is popular is simply afraid of the answer - they’re here to clean up the mess
Exactly; the archdiocese needs to “get in touch” with a few saints of yesteryear, to help them make up their mind.
http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/otoole/140324
I have a friend on another site who once said “The Roman Catholic Church has survived the centuries by making sure to not anger the strongest kingdom.” At that time, we were talking about something else, but with this situation I often think of that.
What if Thomas More had said that?
One thing for certain, Donald Wuerl is no John Fisher.
Look at the price the Catholic church paid for More, and for not granting Henry VIII what many Kennedy men today have been granted multiple times.
That was one of the examples, if I remember right. Thomas More made a principled stand in a highly political issue, and the Catholic church made one of its greatest enemies in England and the later Empire.
Notice that annulments were more common after that among crown heads and powerful leaders. Today it is not even considered an issue when the average person gets an annulment.
Not to throw to many rocks, all the synods and churches will have to face this issue. A great many will compromise to survive in the visible form, like many (including the Catholic church) did in the old Soviet Empire. Many will also go underground, or die a martyrs death. But for large institutions, the temptation to preserve the corporation at the expense of doctrine will be very, very, strong.
Do they give spousal benefits to people remarried after divorce?
The decision has already been taken. What they're actually working on at the moment is the appropriate form of weasel words to explain this away when the public announcement comes.
**“The Church has the responsibility to promote family life and the public morality of the entire civil society on the basis of fundamental moral values
Amen
St. John Vianney, patron of priests, pray for your priests and pray for us too.
“Donald Wuerl is no John Fisher.”
Truer words were never spoken, Markomalley!
No need to apologize......we need to know these things so people can complain to the Archbishop’s office.
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