Hallmark, the nation’s largest greeting card company, has introduced same-sex wedding cards. According to the Associated Press story, “Hallmark says the move is a response to consumer demand, not any political pressure.” The article goes on to quote a Hallmark spokeswoman as saying, “It’s our goal to be as relevant as possible to as many people as we can.”

The same AP article notes that Hallmark’s largest competitor, American Greetings Corp., “has no plans to enter the market” with similarly targeted cards.

A friend who wishes to remain anonymous passed along her e-mail to Hallmark and the company’s response:

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Message to Hallmark:

I wanted to let you know that I am a loyal patron of Hallmark but am saddened to hear that your company is including a line of cards dedicated to same sex marriages. From what I read in the news article, Hallmark was not bowing to political pressure, but merely responding to the customer. Well, this customer does not appreciate this line of cards in your store. Please know that I will be shopping elsewhere for my cards, as I read that American Greetings has no plans to add a line such as this. Thank you.

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Response (Support Agent) - [to their credit, they responded in less than two hours]:

Thank you for your comment.

Beginning this summer, Hallmark’s selection of more than 200 wedding cards will include four cards that use specific language and images appropriate for same-sex wedding ceremonies or civil unions. Hallmark makes cards for all kinds of relationships and situations, and we have for years produced cards for relationships that might be defined as “non-traditional” - including heterosexual couples who are not married, those in mixed race or interfaith relationships and blended families - so people in each of these situations could find cards to meet their needs. It is our goal to be inclusive rather than exclusive so that our products appeal to the widest range of people who wish to communicate and connect with one another. Not every one of the more than 200 wedding cards we offer will be right for every relationship, but we want every consumer to be able to find one that is just right.

We understand that this is a sensitive issue for you and appreciate you letting us know your concerns.

Thanks,
Hallmark Customer Care
www.hallmark.com
1-800-HALLMARK

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It seems from the company’s response that they don’t really care about any moral ramifications of introducing this line of greeting cards. They really only care about seizing a market opportunity. If they can make a profit by selling this type of card, they will.

But at the same time, they appear to be trying to sneak this new line into stores “under the radar,” with no public announcement: a new product introduction press release is conspicuously absent from their corporate Current News page, at least at the time of this posting. Perhaps the secrecy is because they realize that a negative backlash from religious patrons — the kind that buy cards and gifts for real weddings, baptisms, confirmations, etc. — will hurt their business.

[FYI, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2357-2359) provides a concise overview of the Catholic Church's view on homosexuality]