Facing unprecedented federal threats to religious liberty following the Supreme Court’s endorsement of same sex marriage, the Catholic archbishop of Washington is warning the administration against telling the faithful how to practice their religion and charity.
On the eve of a visit to the White House by Pope Francis this month, Cardinal Donald William Wuerl forcefully put the administration on notice to drop any plans to punish religious institutions that oppose same sex marriage.
“We really don’t think government should be telling us how we should be practicing our faith,” Wuerl told Secrets. “Religious freedom shouldn’t be determined for us by somebody else any more than people in the media would want freedom of speech to be determined by somebody else,” he added.
Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, speaking to reporters about the Pope’s upcoming visit to the United States. Michael Bonfigli/Christian Science Monitor
During the debate over same-sex marriage, administration officials said that a victory could result in the withdrawal of federal tax and other benefits to religious institutions and believers that refuse to comply with the decision. Churches have warned that the result could be ending charity, adoption, and education efforts.
During court arguments, Justice Samuel Alito asked Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr. if a win for same sex marriage would impact the tax status of religious institutions. He said, “it’s certainly going to be an issue. I don’t deny that. I don’t deny that, Justice Alito. It is — it is going to be an issue.”
Utah Sen. Mike Lee has introduced the “First Amendment Defense Act” to block any punishment. He told Secrets that it was “absolutely” helpful that Wuerl spoke out on religious liberty.
“What we’re finding is that people of many faiths and even people with no faith at all see the value of religious freedom,” he said.
Wuerl said the fight with the administration goes back to the passage of Obamacare and the demand that all outlets, including religious groups, provide birth control benefits.
“Our objection primarily was the decision of the government to decide for us what constitutes religious faith and practice, what constitutes religious works that are not part of our faith and practice,” said Wuerl during a pre-Pope Francis trip media breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.
And that includes the types of charity that could be threatened by the administration. “We feel the Gospel mandates feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty … as much a part of our religious mandate thou shall not kill,” added the archbishop.
Lee agreed and said it would be a travesty if religious institutions were forced out of charity for their beliefs on marriage.
“We can’t throw it away and, in fact, the American people won’t allow it, they won’t tolerate it,” he said. “We’re not going to put up with a government that tramples on our religious beliefs.”
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
