Happy Valentine’s Day from The World’s One True Religion!

First, the news:

The last five months have been eventful for Steav Bates-Congdon.

First he got married. Then he got fired.

The popular music director at St. Gabriel Catholic Church in south Charlotte lost his job last month for marrying his longtime partner in New York, one of seven states to recognize same-sex marriages.

Yes, well, you saw that coming, even if Steav — no typo — didn’t.

But here’s the thing:

The Catholic Church considers homosexual behavior a sin, and Bishop Peter Jugis, who heads the Diocese of Charlotte and is the spiritual leader of Catholics in a 46-county area, has been a strong supporter of legally restricting marriage to a man and a woman.

Of course, the Catholic Chuch can marry and not marry whom it wants. And if you want to get into the rights of the Catholic Church as a direct employer — i.e., not via hospitals and universities — you’re welcome to it.

But as we learned Monday, the Blunt Amendment would allow employers to deny insurance coverage if it violates their “religious beliefs or moral convictions”. And here’s a stellar example of just how messy that kind of exception can get.

Music director’s marriage leads to his firing from St. Gabriel Catholic Church [Charlotte Observer]

nojo
4:28 pm • Tuesday • February 14, 2012
comment »

5 Comments

ManchuCandidate

4:39 pm • Tuesday • February 14, 2012

I guess the RC Church prefers the down low Jerry Sandusky kind of “love” than a legal well defined relationship.

Dodgerblue

5:57 pm • Tuesday • February 14, 2012

@ManchuCandidate: In Los Angeles County, the going rate for molestation by priests is around $1 million per victim, judging by the settlement agreements that have been made public. Where are the Catholic bishops on that?

DElurker

6:37 pm • Tuesday • February 14, 2012

@Dodgerblue: Here in Delaware an individual won a multimillion dollar settlement last year against a particular parish.

On another note, at the mass I attended Sunday were pre-printed cards in every pew to send to our congressional delegation, all Dems btw, to let them know our (the RC Church) displeasure with the insurance situation. All one needed to do was sign their name and drop it in a special collection by the ushers. While this was going on the priest talked about how the church is publicly supporting the effort by some in congress to pass legislation to overturn Obama’s efforts. When he mentioned the Speaker of the House he priest called him Boner. I whispered to the old lady next to me that that was okay because I call him the same thing. Through her snickering, she said that she did as well.

I do not know what the overall percentages were for card submitted vs adult church goers but no one in my pew filled out a card. I doubt that the parish noticed the difference. Even more reason they should lose their tax exempt status.

JNOV is like, Peace?

7:37 pm • Tuesday • February 14, 2012

About two years ago, something similar happened in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The music director or whateverthefuck either came out against Prop 8 or refused to out members. Memory fails.

Anyway, he ended up resigning or being fired over it. Memory fails again. (I need to hang out with my exmos more.)

karen marie has her eyes tight shut

11:47 pm • Tuesday • February 14, 2012

@Dodgerblue: They’re outraged at “victims” “profiting” from the church’s misfortune.

Happy Valentine’s Day from The World’s One True Religion!

Music director’s marriage leads to his firing from St. Gabriel Catholic Church [Charlotte Observer]

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