Rockford, Ill. (EWTN News) — The Diocese of Rockford, Ill., is ending its publicly funded adoption and foster-care services, citing the lack of religious-conscience protections in a state law that established same-sex civil unions on June 1.
The State of Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Unions Act does not allow child welfare agencies to restrict their adoption and foster-care work to married heterosexual couples, even in cases where these agencies partner with religious groups.
Rather than face lawsuits or violate Catholic teaching, the diocese will permanently stop all state-funded adoptions and foster-care placements.
At a May 26 press conference, diocesan communications director Penny Wiegert said Catholic Charities “implored the State of Illinois” to allow a compromise, under which their agencies could refer homosexual partners and unmarried heterosexual couples to other adoption agencies.
“Tragically, that did not happen,” said Wiegert. “The state Legislature failed to pass an explicit amendment exempting religious entities from the application of the civil-unions law in its state-funded adoption and foster-care programs.”
“Because of this failure and the anticipated legal challenges it will present to our free exercise of religion, the Diocese of Rockford is forced to discontinue all state-funded adoption and foster care operations, as of June 1, 2011,” she stated.
The discontinuation also means that Catholic Charities will no longer oversee its 350 current foster care and adoption cases. Its 42 caseworkers and 24 other employees have been notified that their positions will cease to exist, as Catholic Charities completes the work of transferring the cases to other agencies during the next three months.
Other states’ laws establishing civil unions and homosexual “marriage” have forced Church agencies to restrict or discontinue adoption and foster care work in Boston and the District of Columbia. The Catholic Church in the United Kingdom no longer participates in adoption or foster care due to requirements in that country’s same-sex “civil partnership” law.
Ellen Lynch, general counsel for the Rockford Diocese, said the decision was “emotionally painful,” but legally and morally “the right decision to make.”
Wiegert stressed that the Church “cannot compromise” its work “by letting the state define our religious teachings.”
The lack of conscience protections in the Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Unions Act, she said, “leads one to believe that our lawmakers prefer laws that guarantee freedom from religion” rather than “freedom of religion.”
All of Catholic Charities’ non-state funded services, including private adoptions, will continue after the transition.
Illinois’ other five dioceses are “still evaluating their options” in light of the new law, according to Illinois Catholic Conference executive director Robert Gilligan.
He told EWTN News that Church officials were “trying to make a decision in the best interest of the children we serve through adoption and foster care,” with the “emphasis being placed on the child’s needs.”
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If they are using public money, they need to comply with the law. If Catholics wish to continue adoption under their rules, it should be privately funded with Cathlic money. Please remember: There are several organizations which will receive public money to continue adoptions, regardless of religious beliefs.
“Wiegert stressed that the Church “cannot compromise” its work “by letting the state define our religious teachings.”
The lack of conscience protections in the Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Unions Act, she said, “leads one to believe that our lawmakers prefer laws that guarantee freedom from religion” rather than “freedom of religion.”
In so much as the law does not allow an exemption for an organization to discriminate on religious grounds, then it is, indeed, merely freedom of religion. After all, how would one countenance a couple who wished to adopt who did NOT find same-sex marriage in any way ethically or morally problematic? Their freedom is compromised by the church’s position, should the church remain in the adoption business.
I hope and pray that the other dioceses have the courage to stand up for the beliefs of their Catholic faith like the Rockford diocese did. We need more courageous leaders.
@Mary: I certainly hope that other religious organizations adopt the same position as the Catholic Church in this regard. I do not accept institutionalized discrimination using my money. Should the church choose to fund adoption and fostering activities using only the tithes collected from members, I have no objections.
Catholic Charities prioritized discrimination against same-sex couples over service to orphans and foster children in the state of Illinois. They did not take similar action with regard to other “church” teachings (e.g., they placed children with couples who had been divorced). Taking action now signals that this is essentially a political move, designed to make a statement and grab as much press attention as possible.
This makes a powerful statement about the priorities of this group’s priorities, especially to their commitment to attaining political leverage, even if it is at the expense of orphans.
Absolutely shameless. Catholics everywhere should bow their heads in shame.
“Taking action now signals that this is essentially a political move, designed to make a statement and grab as much press attention as possible.”
What happened in Boston was they were letting gays adopt all the time, gay marriage came in and nothing changed. Then the campaigns started in other states and part of Europe. Suddenly, they could no longer place children in loving homes and it was all because of those horrible homosexual laws.
““leads one to believe that our lawmakers prefer laws that guarantee freedom from religion” rather than “freedom of religion.”
You can’t have one without the other. When yours conflicts with mine, I have every right to follow mine and I have no right to force you to follow mine. Of course, you can do whatever you want in your church or home.
When public funding is used to say otherwise, it doesn’t hold up constitutionally.
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