"Catholic Charities" is an Oxymoron
It is bewildering enough that four Catholic bishops in Massachusetts should be so out of touch with their own flocks as to create a controversy where none has existed for two decades. But it is truly horrifying that they have now found an enabler in the Corner Office.
The church is seeking relief from the state’s anti-discrimination law so that Catholic social services agencies may opt not to place children with same-sex couples. To do so, the bishops note, violates church teaching. [...]
Gov. Mitt Romney, moving ever rightward, must have been disappointed to learn that he couldn’t simply issue an executive order exempting the agency from the anti-discrimination law. Yesterday following a meeting with Archbishop Sean O’Malley, he issued a statement saying, “Ultimately legislation may need to be filed to provide an exemption based on religious principles.” (source)
It’s funny that, after all these years, this is surfacing now (hint... in some way this will play out in the November elections). And, out of 720 placements over the last 20 years, only 13 children have been placed in gay homes by the Catholic Charities of Boston. These were all “hard-to-place foster kids who were older or had special needs”. In other words, no one else wanted them. And from what I’ve read, these children are thriving. It’s amazing what any child, even those with special needs, can do if someone just cares.
But now Catholic Charities would rather these children not be placed at all, rather than be placed in a home run by a gay couple. Not surprising really. The Pope has stated that to put any child into a gay household is to “do violence” to them. The Vatican has some issues on this within their own church. Seven of the board members of Catholic Charities have resigned in protest. I watched them give their very moving statements last night on the Boston Channel. They said in essence, “We lost this battle but we couldn’t in good conscience continue on the board.”
I understand their frustration. The only problem is, they were the voice of reason in all of this. The had their priorities in the right place - the care for these children. It was moving last night to watch one of them say (paraphrasing), “Not once did Catholic Charities ask or want to meet with the gay parents of these children. Had they done that, they would have seen that these children are thriving.”
The Church approached Governor Mitt Romney to get him to issue an executive order basically stating in this case, it was alright to ignore the state’s anti-discrimination law. He must have been discouraged to learn that an executive order cannot simply make exceptions to the law. So, he’s urging the legislature to fix this problem (to allow Catholic Charities to discriminate) by adding a religious exemption to the law.
Romney and the Catholic Charities care little for these children who will stay in limbo and without a supportive home. In the end, it’s the children who will lose this battle.
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Desmond,
The ACLU has documented numerous cases in which the Salvation Army appears to discriminate against employees based on faith.
When the Salvation Army accepts government contracts and is paid by public finds, they should be held to the same standards as any employer when it comes to equal opportunity.
NYCLU Calls For Investigation Of Faith-Based Discrimination In Salvation Army Social Services
January 14, 2004 -- In letters to New York State Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi and New York City Comptroller William G. Thompson Jr., the New York Civil Liberties Union raised concerns about possible religious discrimination against employees in state and city funded social services programs run by the Salvation Army. The NYCLU requested that the Comptrollers conduct an audit to determine whether the Salvation Army is improperly applying religious tests for employment in child welfare and other government social services programs.
The Salvation Army has recently begun to require all New York City employees, and prospective job applicants, to identify their present church affiliation and minister’s name as well as all other churches attended in the previous decade. Moreover, recently developed job descriptions and new job application forms, appear to require that employees “preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ” and to thereby profess their belief in Christianity. The Salvation Army claims an exemption from anti-discrimination laws because it is a church.
There are literally dozens of examples like this that can be read online simply by doing a Google search.
You can "disagree" all you want, but the facts speak for themselves.
To Fritz:
I am sorry that you have come to these conclusions about the stated organizations. I can only speak to what I have experienced in The Salvation Army.
I disagree whole-heartedly that the Army discriminates based on religion, as you have stated. I work for the Army and have never signed, nor have any of my coworkers signed, any document saying that I will support the teachings of Jesus Christ. I did know, however, when I started working for the Army that they are quite forward about being a Christian Organization - even as described in their international mission statement:
"The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination."
Should a Jew, or any member of any other faith wish to work for an organization which is so forth-coming with their Christian affiliation, they would start that position knowing full well of the environment in which they will be working.
If I worked for an Islamic organization . . . I would naturally expect that my work would somehow involve a knowledge and/or promotion of the concepts of Islam. It only makes sense.
The fact is I work with athiests, Christians, and others every day. I work with social workers who are making a real difference in peoples' lives, from their offices in a church building where people come seeking help (just as they could have sought help from a government or otherwise secular agency).
I did the same thing Fritz, when my company sponsored a popcorn sale for the Boy Scouts late last summer. They had no idea and said that in the future, they would keep "my feelings" in mind before they endorse it in the future. They didn't get it.
So I told them that none of this was about "my feelings". It was about discrimination and I posed the question to them, "Would you be so willing and ready to put your name on an endorsement of an organization that excluded African Americans? Say, the KKK? Because I hear that they need donations also."
THAT they got. The question is, will they do it again next year. We'll see.
Every year, I write a letter of protest to my employer over their participation in the local United Way fundraising program. Why?
The United Way in my county supports:
1) The Boy Scouts of America
2) The Salvation Army
3) Catholic Charities
All three organizations actively discriminate based on religion, gender, and sexual orientation.
Every year, my employer responds by stating that employees are given the option to select specific charities to which their donations will be directed. They argue that even though our policies prohibit discrimination in the above listed areas, there isn't a conflict in our supporting the United Way -- I disagree with that.
Unfortunately, most of my co-workers are not aware that the Salvation Army forces their social workers to sign a document stating that they will support the teachings of Jesus Christ (effectively banning Jews and those of other faiths from working for them), that the BSA will not hire LGBT people or athiests for ANY position within their organization, and that Catholic Charities will deny services to LGBT people (adoption, housing, etc.)
However, last year the Salvation Army in my area almost when bankrupt. Catholic Charities also found it difficult to raise funds. Both blamed their shortfalls on Katrina donations. I think people are finally wising up. I'll just keep speaking up and refuse to participate in the United Way programs -- two co-workers in my department joined me in my boycott last year. Maybe a couple more will do the same this year.