Photo by Fredo Alvarez

As expected, Bishop Harry Jackson filed his petition with the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics today to request a ballot initiative on legalizing same-sex marriage in the District. It’s a move designed to preempt legislative action from the D.C. Council on the issue later this year (At-large councilmember David Catania has promised to introduce such a bill this fall), with Jackson betting on a redux of California’s Prop 8. Perhaps more surprising, however, is that the Archdiocese of Washington has also gotten involved in the movement, although without officially joining Jackson’s Stand4MarriageDC coalition. The Post reports that Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl also submitted a letter to the elections board today calling for a referendum. Via Tim Craig:

“It is ironic that at the same time the city is asking for voting representation in the U.S. Congress, its leaders are denying residents the opportunity to participate in the Democratic process for an issue with widespread implications for children and families,” Ronald Jackson, executive director of the D.C. Catholic Conference, said in a statement.

Sigh. It’s a real shame to discover that the Catholic Church doesn’t understand the difference between representative democracy and direct democracy.