DC city council not intimidated

Ms. Fiedler:

Here's what "they" are thinking...

Freedom of religion is the first right enumerated in the Bill of Rights (to wit: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech...").

NCR is frustrated because Archbishop Wuerhl and Church leaders in Washington DC are not intimidated by NCR's kindred spirits in the DC City Council.

Speaking of other hierarchies that NCR dislikes, the institution of marriage is a covenant between one man and one woman and God. Marriage is not a right, and it is not open to gays and lesbians. So NCR needn't fret about secondary issues like discrimination, because there is no basis for such concerns here.

Some observers think the staff at NCR are "somewhat adolescent" for always complaining about having to follow the rules.

Maureen,
"What they are thinking" is what happened to the Archdiocese of Boston, forced out of social services work in that city--work that had lasted for more than a century--because the Church remained faithful to the Biblical insight that God gave Adam Eve, not Steve. The Boston Archdiocese had been in adoption work for more than a century, but was forced out when it refused to place children with marital parodies that Massachusetts now considered enjoying all the privileges and rights of spouses and families. So please direct your concern to the legislatures and city councils that are intent on bludgeoning conscience in the name of conforming society to their vision of "equality."

There is a huge difference between not offering food, clothing, and medical care to homosexuals, and offering them marriage and use of Catholic facilities for their weddings, receptions, adoption, and singles meetings.

The Catholic Church has threatened to end their contracts with the city, not to abandon homosexuals to starvation and depravity.

The city may well choose to shop offering the services by discriminating against the principles of the Catholic Church. If the DC City Council is so committed to gays that they'll let the Catholic Church ends it's contracts with the city, then it lies on the backs of the City to explain why their constituents are left in need.

It is very hard to see how a blog openly advocating gay marriage and using discrimination rhetoric is suitable for a periodical called the National CATHOLIC Reporter. What a sorry state the Church has fallen into. God help us.

Amen.

What I don't understand....have we *ever* seen the bishops lay all their political influence on the line over, say, issues of poverty or dicrimination or homelessness or illiteracy?

Why not?

How is the District of Columbia recognizing gay marriages *the* issue of their lifetimes? As an American Catholic, I take this as one more indication that the bishops here (and Pope Ratzinger) have become totally unhinged and lost contact with the ideals of Jesus Christ.

I mean SERIOUSLY, can we imagine Jesus Christ saying he'll refuse to feed the hungry in protest of some government decision?