Our Catechism calls for non-discrimination for all

The Most Rev. Thomas Wenski, Archbishop of Miami, was recently quoted in an Intermountain Catholic article regarding gay marriage stating, "Of course, as fair-minded citizens we do hold that no one should be denied a job or a house; no one should be subjected to harassment or bullying because of one’s apparent sexual orientation. We should oppose any and all unjust discrimination."

While Archbishop Wenski sees Catholic support for nondiscrimination as a given, many Catholics remain confused about Church teaching on such issues, particularly in the face of specific legislative proposals. For example, the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City supported bills in the past two Utah legislative sessions that would have added sexual orientation to the list of protected classes against which one may not discriminate in employment or housing. A few Catholics voiced concerns over our actions, fearing the bill would be a stepping stone to gay marriage or promote immoral behavior.

Diocesan support for these particular bills is based on our Catholic belief that every person deserves a life of dignity. In Catholic teaching, the ability to live a life of dignity depends on a person’s ability to access food, clean water, education, health care, housing and employment. Our teaching is clear: To deny any person access to these necessities is to deny their basic human dignity.

Human dignity is God-given, regardless of race, creed, age, ethnicity, disability or sexual orientation. To deny shelter or employment to any human being based solely on their sexual orientation is to prejudge a person without really knowing anything about who they are and regardless of our shared humanity. For those who wish to turn away a gay renter, we must ask why. Is the person’s check of any less value? Are they any more likely to throw loud parties? Are they any more likely to burn down the building? The answer to the questions depends on the renter’s personal integrity, not their sexual orientation.

The same applies to the person applying for a job. When we walk into most businesses, our first question is not typically what is the employee’s sexual orientation, any more than it is ‘What is their religion?’ To deny employment in your store to a person based on sexual orientation would be to assume the person does not uphold the standards of your faith based on your own prejudices, not the applicant’s actions or merits.

If we truly understand that we are all one family, we should at least give our family member the basic courtesy of assuming they are equally fine and upstanding citizens as ourselves.

Adding sexual orientation to the list of protected classes for employment and housing purposes recognizes that sexual orientation has nothing to do with a person’s ability to do a job or pay rent. But orientation is and has been used to deny individuals access to housing and employment. Catholics in Utah should support efforts to ensure that no person is denied a roof over their head or the ability to make a living simply because of preconceived assumptions about the person.

The nondiscrimination legislation would not have forced anyone to deny their beliefs; it would ask us all to realize our shared beliefs in the value of every human life and abandon stereotypical assumptions about gays and lesbians.

It is our Catholic belief, as stated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, that the fundamental human rights of gay or lesbian persons must be defended and that all of us must strive to eliminate any forms of injustice, oppression, or violence against our gay or lesbian brothers and sisters.

Food on the table and a roof over your head, are fundamental human rights. The Catholic Diocese supports and will continue to support efforts to protect every person’s ability to access these necessities for a life of dignity.