Washington Archdiocese says vote legalizing gay marriage regrettable
- The Georiga Bulletin, www.georgiabulletin.org December 22, 2009
Published:
WASHINGTON (CNS) — The Washington Archdiocese expressed regret that a District of Columbia bill to legalize same-sex marriage was approved despite church opposition and without protecting religious freedom. “Since this legislation was first introduced in October, the Archdiocese of Washington opposed the redefinition of marriage based on the core teaching of the Catholic Church that the complementarity of man and woman is intrinsic to the definition of marriage,” said an archdiocesan statement Dec. 15. However, the archdiocese said that because “the City Council was committed to legalizing same-sex marriages,” it had advocated for a bill that would balance that action with protecting religious freedom. The archdiocese’s statement was issued the same day the council voted 11-2 to allow gay couples from anywhere in the country to marry in the city. The vote was the second of two required on the measure, which was first introduced nearly a year ago. Mayor Adrian Fenty signed the bill Dec. 18. It also must undergo a 30-day congressional review period.
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