NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      PHILADELPHIA (CWNews.com) - Philadelphia's City Council bowed to a five-year campaign by homosexual activists on Thursday and agreed to enact a series of ordinances that extend health and pension benefits to same-sex partners of city employees, that exempt same-sex partners from the real estate transfer tax, and that ban on-the-job discrimination based on marital status.

      Mayor Edward Rendell has said he will sign the measure. Same-sex partners of city employees would qualify for the benefits after proving they are in a "life partnership," including share bank accounts, dual property ownership, and insurance beneficiary designation.

      Religious leaders, including Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, oppose the measures saying they are part of an effort to get around laws against same-sex marriage.