In response to a proposed ordinance that would allow same-sex marriage, The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington threatened to stop feeding the city's homeless through Catholic Charities Washington. This decision could affect tens of thousands of people, according to the Washington Post.
The church said the ordinance, which must be approved by the D.C. City Council, would possibly force them to recognize same-sex marriages, and it wouldn't be able to keep city contracts. A spokeswoman said the church was worried about things such as giving medical benefits to same-sex couples and adoptions for same-sex couples.
Although the proposed D.C. ordinance would go much further, Columbia instituted a same-sex partner registry earlier this year with little fanfare or debate. The ordinance gives partners a document that can be used for employee and health care benefits.
How well does the Catholic Church's decision match up with Christian values?