Columnist: Church Threat Uncharitable and Cruel

Washington Post columnist Petula Dvorak takes on the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington for its threat to cut vital social services like support to the homeless if a proposed marriage equality law passes the D.C. city council.

Although the proposed law would not require the church to perform same-sex weddings or provide space for the ceremonies, the archdiocese fears that it would be forced to extend employee benefits for same-sex married couples. This week, the church threatened to sever its social service contracts with the city, which help nearly 70,000 residents with adoption, health care, and homelessness.

"For folks on the street, those words are nothing more than the sound of a door slamming shut," writes Dvorak.

"By trying to play political hardball with the District, no matter how carefully they word their objection to the bill, officials at the Archdiocese of Washington and Catholic Charities are telling our city's most vulnerable people -- homeless families, sick children, low-income mothers -- that they are willing to throw them on the table as a bargaining chip."

"What the Church is doing is an uncharitable and cruel maneuver," Dvorak wrote.

Read the column here .