BERLIN - Germany's Roman Catholic Church has said it may dismiss employees of church institutions who get same-sex marriages under a law introduced last year, drawing outrage Thursday from government lawmakers and the country's main gay rights group.
The leader of the German church, Cardinal Karl Lehmann, has condemned the law, which was upheld last month by the country's highest court, as a serious blow to marriage and the family.
In force since last August, the law allows gay couples to seal their partnership at registry offices and requires a court decision for divorce.
It has prompted the German Bishops Conference to argue that such partnerships are incompatible with employment by the church.
While officials at the bishops conference couldn't be reached, the diocese of Limburg released Thursday a letter outlining that argument.
Sent to heads of church organizations last month, the letter states that an employee taking the step "loses credibility in fulfilling the tasks he has to perform in an ecclesiastical institution."
"Since entering a registered life partnership is considered a serious violation of loyalty obligations ... dismissal is in principle justified, and can only be disregarded in special cases," it added.
Two leading lawmakers with the Greens party, the junior partner in Germany's coalition government, accused the bishops of "discrimination and hypocrisy."
"Morally speaking, the Catholic church's declaration makes no sense at all," Christa Nickels and Volker Beck said in a joint statement. "Why is a homosexual who does not live in a registered partnership more loyal to the church than one who does?"
Manfred Bruns, a spokesman for the Lesbian and Gay Association, accused the church of singling out homosexuals for treatment as "contagious invalids."