logo logo
Donate
    • Membership
    • Donate
  • Social Justice
    • Racial Justice
    • Climate Justice
    • Disability Justice
    • Economic Justice
    • Health Justice
    • Immigration
    • LGBTQ+
  • Civic News
  • Nonprofit Leadership
    • Board Governance
    • Equity-Centered Management
    • Finances
    • Fundraising
    • Human Resources
    • Organizational Culture
    • Philanthropy
    • Power Dynamics
    • Strategic Planning
    • Technology
  • CONTENT TYPES
  • Leading Edge Membership
  • Newsletters
  • Webinars

Nonprofit Newswire | Catholic Charities Gags Employee Opposition to Gay Marriage Law

Rick Cohen
March 15, 2010
Subscribe via E-Mail Get the newswire delivered to you – free! {source} [[form name=”ccoptin” action=”http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.jsp” target=”_blank” method=”post”]] [[input type=”text” name=”ea” size=”20″ value=”” style=”font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:10px; border:1px solid #999999;”]] [[input type=”submit” name=”go” value=”GO” class=”submit” style=”font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:10px;”]] [[input type=”hidden” name=”m” value=”1101451017273″]] [[input type=”hidden” name=”p” value=”oi”]] [[/form]] {/source} Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via RSS Submit a News Item Submit a News Item

March 13, 2010; Washington Post | The NPQ Newswire has covered the truly disconcerting position taken by Catholic Charities in Washington D.C. in its opposition to the District’s gay marriage law. At the outset, Catholic Charities—and the Archdiocese itself—vigorously opposed the pending statute, to the point of threatening to shut down its government-funded service activities such as running programs for the homeless because the law would require Catholic Charities, as a recipient of government money, to give gay spouses the same health and other benefits as non-gay spouses (the organization did get rid of its foster care program so that it wouldn’t have to tacitly approve gays as foster parents).

Since the law was passed, Charities then figured out a slick way of keeping its millions in government contracts while avoiding violating the law: it would deny spousal benefits to all new employees, gay or straight. Just to underscore its position, Catholic Charities has now added a new provision to its personnel policies. All new employees have to sign a promise that they will not “violate the principles or tenets” of the church.

To us, there’s little question about what this means. It’s a restraint on freedom of speech, it’s a gag order. It tells all new employees—and existing employees as well in a way—that if they speak or act against the Catholic Church’s opposition to gay marriage, they risk being penalized or fired.

Sign up for our free newsletters

Subscribe to NPQ's newsletters to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from NPQ and our partners.

Catholic Charities is not the only organization to have this kind of religious sign-off. World Vision, which is a major foreign aid contractor and a vocal leading member of President Obama’s faith-based programs, requires all of its U.S.-based employees to sign a statement that they agree with the Apostle’s Creed. But the Catholic Charities position, at least in D.C., appears to be new—and specifically directed toward silencing opposition to the organization’s position against the District’s gay marriage law.

It’s one thing to oppose the District’s new civil rights-oriented treatment of gay marriage. But shutting up the dissenting voices of its employees sounds like yet another Catholic Charities violation, not of the tenets of the church, but of the basic principles and values of the nonprofit sector.—Rick Cohen

About the author
Rick Cohen

Rick joined NPQ in 2006, after almost eight years as the executive director of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP). Before that he played various roles as a community worker and advisor to others doing community work. He also worked in government. Cohen pursued investigative and analytical articles, advocated for increased philanthropic giving and access for disenfranchised constituencies, and promoted increased philanthropic and nonprofit accountability.

More about: Nonprofit News

Our Voices Are Our Power.

Journalism, nonprofits, and multiracial democracy are under attack. At NPQ, we fight back by sharing stories and essential insights from nonprofit leaders and workers—and we pay every contributor.

Can you help us protect nonprofit voices?

Your support keeps truth alive when it matters most.
Every single dollar makes a difference.

Donate now
logo logo logo logo logo
See comments

You might also like
As Global Climate and Refugee Crises Accelerate, a Call for Humanity
Angely Mercado
How Nonprofits and Activists Can Oppose Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill”
Matthew Rozsa
“Unrig the Game”: Learning from Women of Color in Leadership and Social Movements
Holly Jonas
For Black Maternal Health, We Need Justice and Equity: A Conversation with Angela Doyinsola Aina
Rebekah Barber
A Group of Black Girls Commemorates Juneteenth by Walking in Harriet Tubman’s Footsteps
Rebekah Barber
In California’s Largest Landback Deal, the Yurok Tribe Reclaims Sacred Land Around Klamath River
Anita Hofschneider, Grist

Upcoming Webinars

Group Created with Sketch.
June 26th, 2:00 pm ET

From Performance Management to Mutual Commitment

Fostering a Culture of Joyful Accountability

Register
Group Created with Sketch.
July 24th, 2:00 pm ET

Organizing in Divided Times

The Relational Infrastructure We Need to Protect Democracy

Register

    
You might also like
A group of about two dozen students, many wearing blue shirts, walk in the rain in front of the US House of Representatives.
How Nonprofits and Activists Can Oppose Trump’s “Big...
Matthew Rozsa
Conservatives Attack Nonprofits on Capitol Hill
Isaiah Thompson
Glass-paneled exterior of the Microsoft building.
Microsoft Axes Free 365 Software for Nonprofits
Isaiah Thompson

Like what you see?

Subscribe to the NPQ newsletter to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

See our newsletters

By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from NPQ and our partners.

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Copyright
  • Donate
  • Editorial Policy
  • Funders
  • Submissions

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

 

Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.