Catholic Charities to halt adoptions over issue involving gays

[AngryOldDem]

>>BOSTON --The Boston Archdiocese's Catholic Charities said Friday it would stop providing adoption services because state law requires them to consider gays and lesbians as parents.

The social services arm of the Roman Catholic archdiocese has provided adoption services for the state for about two decades, and said it would discontinue once it completes its contract with the state. But it says state law allowing gays to adopt runs counter to church teachers on homosexuality.>>

>>Catholic Charities has been involved in adoptions for about a century, but has had a contract with the state for the past two decades. Its contract with the state expires June 30.

In the past two decades, Catholic Charities has placed 720 children in adoptive homes. Of those 720 children, 13 were placed with same-sex couples, Catholic Charities said.>>

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles... /


This is my first time posting in LBN. Hope I did it correctly.

I guess nothing is worse to the Church than having gays and lesbians as parents. So much for promoting the "culture of life."

And I'm Catholic, by the way; for how much longer God only knows.

[ulysses]

1. stupidity.

All they're going to do, though, is make themselves irrelevant.

[Occulus]

3. Good.

And they fucking well deserve it.

[saigon68]

50. MITT ROMNEY KING OF THE BIGOTS TO THE RESCUE

Within an hour of Catholic Charities' announcement, Gov. Mitt Romney said he planned to file a bill that would allow religious organizations to seek an exemption from the state's anti-discrimination laws to provide adoption service

WHAT A FUCKING ASS-CLOWN

WHAT A PERVERT

WHAT A CHRISTIAN

lINK: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles... /



"This is a sad day for neglected and abandoned children," Romney, a possible 2008 presidential candidate, said in a statement issued while he was in Tennessee to address the Southern Republican Leadership Conference. "It's a mistake for our laws to put the rights of adults over the needs of children."

"While I respect the board's decision to stay true to their principles, I find the current state of the law deeply disturbing and a threat to religious freedom," he said

[TaleWgnDg]

60. A clue to Mr. Romney . . .

.
A clue to Mr. Romney (as if he didn't already know it since he's a graduate of Harvard Law School):

if a bill (as Romney suggests) passes the state legislature and is signed into law by the then sitting Massachusetts governor, that law will most probably be found unconstitutional u/ the Massachusetts constitution by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

Romney knows this! And, Romney already knows that the Massachusetts state legislature will not entertain Romney's wishes on this subject, period.

However, Romney doesn't care. Because Romney is running for president. And, as such, Romney is reaching out to, trying to appease, the religion-into-law rightwingnut zealots to whom '08 presidential candidates must kiss-ass! period. On the other hand, such politics allows Romney to demonstrate his own Mormon faith on even-keel w/ the uber-conservative Roman Catholics, Evangelicals, Pentecostals, ad nauseum. Romney is in a win-win situation, politically, by flaunting such nonsense.

Indeed. So goes politics and religion and law and government in America today! Welcome to the 21st century.


.

[saigon68]

67. Thanks for your explanation

I especially like the cartoon of O'Malley

[gemdem]

37. Sad to say...

Given the sex scandals along the level of intolerance that Church shows these days, the Catholic Church has made itself irrelevant -- or very nearly so. Certainly when it comes to caring for those who sit in the pews, the Church has little credibility these days.

The only things that keeps me in the fold these days are 1.) I'm a cradle Catholic, 2.) the Church's generally good work as it regards the poor and disadvantaged, 3.) the good priests I know whom I consider to be friends. That's not a lot on the good side of the balance -- especially with the scandals, the homophobia, and dogma as a cudgel that the current Church fathers employ. It's time for another Pope John XXIII. Someone to change the Church and to bring it back to what Christ said were the two greatest commandments...

"Love your God with all you heart, all your soul, and all your mind; and to love your neighbor as yourself."

As my one brother would say, "do this and everything else the Church has to say is commentary." All the rules, dogma, and pretzel logic mean nothing if you don't keep the word of Christ at the heart of all you do.

So, back to the subject. Where is Christ in the Church's decision? For myself, I'm not seeing it. The Church -- another step closer to being completely irrelevant. Me -- another step closer to being an ex-Catholic.

[kiranon]

56. It's All About Receiving Government Money for Social Services

My best guess is that Massachusetts has strings on providing funds for Catholic Charities, that is, to receive state funds for adoption services the Catholic Church must not discriminate. Rather than lose state funds, the Church decided to throw out the baby with the bath water and offer no adoption services to any one. That way the Church can argue it does not discriminate. Had the Catholic Church not done so it may have lost not only state funds for adoption services but all state funds for Catholic Services. I really didn't expect the Church to take a "moral" position on this one although the Church described it as such.

One argument Catholics and fundies always used to make is that where abortion is not possible, adoption is. The Catholic Church just showed the hypocrisy of their own argument. It is amazing that anyone still goes to the Catholic Church. We used to go but haven't in years.

[TaleWgnDg]

61. Headlines, Boston Globe, Saturday, March 11, 2006 . . .

.

Boston Globe, headlines, Saturday, March 11, 2006

(1.) "Catholic Charities stuns state, ends adoptions - Gay issue stirred move by state agency," Boston Globe, headlines, Saturday, March 11, 2006, Patricia Wen, Globe Staff Reporter, http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/03/11/ca...

(2.) "Church's rift with Beacon Hill grows," Boston Globe, page 1, Saturday, March 11, 2006, Michael Paulson, Globe Staff Reporter, http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/03/11/ch...


http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles... /

Wha? The Boston Globe couldn't see this coming? Oh, come on! The handwriting was on the wall! How else could Catholic Charities handle it but to go out of the adoption business, entirely, in Massachusetts. Rome placed Boston's Catholic Charities in a box w/ no key to get out.

The follow-up question is what's next? Will Catholic Charities, due to its policies and procedures as mandated from Rome, be forced out of Massachusetts children's foster care services too? All due, of course, to Rome's twisted and ill-advised stance on gay marriage and gay parenting.

See also: DU thread, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

.

[BR_Parkway]

2. They made the right choice - play by the rules or give up the money

I don't have a problem with that - they are free to decide what their religious convictions tell them how to run their lives. I don't want them trying to run mine or subsidizing theirs with my tax money.

It's really not hard. 1) Here's the program 2) Here's the rules 3) If you want in on the program, you have to follow the rules 4) If you don't want to follow the rules, you can't be in the program.

Funny, it sounds very similar to the stuff you teach in all your churchs about following the rules (1) so you can get into heaven (2). I really can't understand why it's so difficult for you to understand

on edit:

I do wonder how much the state contract paid them for 20 years of work which resulted in 720 adoptions.

[Midlodemocrat]

5. Sometimes the right choice isn't the moral choice.

Would they rather that these little kids languish in foster care forever? with no families.

Makes me very sad to be a Catholic today.

[AngryOldDem]

13. Exactly right

And to my mind, it gives them NO traction when they rail on about abortion. If you don't provide a viable alternative, then you cannot partake in righteous indignation when people feel compelled to seek other solutions for their situations.

[BR_Parkway]

26. You're right, but it fits with what they state they believe - better for

them to bail out then to keep taking the money. The money can go to some other group who will hopefully do more about placing the kids.

At the bottom of the article, it stated that DSS did most of the placements anyhow.

Now I'd like to see them square up this action with the whole no birth control/anti-choice position - since they are getting out of the heping people find alternatives business.

But I'm not going to scream against it being a homophobic decision, that's their option - but at least this way they are getting out of the way of others who may be able to make a difference

[saigon68]

33. With their Priests Rectally Sodomizing Children

Its a hell of a Legacy for these MEN OF THE CLOTH

[mom cat]

27. It wasn't just the tax money. They were going to lose bundles of money

from the United Way. The United way cannot give money to anyone who discriminates. Since the United Way is one of Catholic Charities biggest donars (if not the biggest) they would be financially devistated if they continued to discriminate against gays and lesbians in adoption cases.
Hit them below the belt. Hit them in the wallet.

[primavera]

64. Amen

No pun intended. But seriously, it's a free country, or at least is supposed to be and we hope it one day will be so again; if people feel that their religious convictions prevent them from doing something, I'm not going to be the one to twist their arm into doing it. As far as I'm concerned, they're free to withdraw from an occupation if they want. What they are not free to do is to impose those views upon everyone else by trying to selectively recast the occupation in order to make it more compatable with their personal beliefs. If a pharmacist doesn't like to dispense birth control prescriptions, fine, more power to him/her; s/he is free to take up another career. Naturally, such a person would no longer be a pharmacist, since dispensing medications prescribed by a physician is what a pharmacist is required to do in order to be a pharmacist, but if that person wants to chuck it all and do something else for a living, I wish them well. Likewise, if Catholic Charities is not prepared to provide adoption services fairly and professionally, that's great, not everyone is cut out to fulfil the obligations of every occupation, they can go do something else instead.

[MadMaddie]

4. So they would rather the children never have an opportunity at adoption..

than find a loving family....This is the way the story should be told!! They are selfish pious people....

I would like to see the studies on the 13 gay families vs the straight families...are the kids thriving, are they loved, overall how are they doing...This is what we need to hear!!

[Hobarticus]

6. During Lent, no less...

Brilliant. Wonderful way to honor the faith, jackasses.

[WindRavenX]

40. ironic, ain't it?

The irony, oh, it kills.

[LiberalEsto]

7. My Unitarian church has several lesbian couples

who adopted children. They all seem to be fabulous parents and our congregation supports them wholeheartedly.

It seems hypocritical for the Catholic Church to stop its adoption service when it continues to oppose family planning and abortion.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

23. Maybe the Unitarians should arrange adoptions.

They at least don't have the hang-ups of the bible-thumping set.

[Brazenly Liberal]

8. God forbid children should have loving, stable homes!

I can't tell you how angry this makes me! The Catholic Church is a perfect illustration of this very wise post:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

I was raised Catholic and the Church's attitude toward women, gays, and other living beings is a large part of why I left. (That and the fact that I was having a harder and harder time telling the difference between organized religion and a magic show)

[mondo joe]

9. I'm not even aware of any biblical injunction against gays having

children.

Does Catholic Charities check to see where adoptive parents are on the rest of Catholic doctrine?

Will they place children with Jews?

With couples who have prior divorces?

Couples that use birth control?

[leQ]

16. you hit the nail on the head: who's next? (n/t)

[sui generis]

19. hey sex seems to be the issue

Maybe they should check to make sure that said hetero couple is actually HAVING sex on a regular basis.

[FredScuttle]

41. Nevermind that

the Church has to make sure the child is placed in a proper home where they don't, gasp, EAT MEAT ON FRIDAYS DURING LENT.

The horror.....the horror.

[Samurai_Writer]

10. This makes me sick

In 1978, Catholic Charities coerced and manipulated me into surrendering my healthy, white infant son for adoption. They sure didn't care about my sexual orientation. All they wanted was my baby to sell to the 'more deserving' infertile couple. Needless to say, they aren't my favorite 'charity' (which makes mega-$$$ in adoptions each year).

I'm so mad right now I can't even think of what I was going to say. My Catholic Charity agency who handled my son's adoption will definitely be hearing from me about this.

[LiberalEsto]

11. I'm so sorry for your loss

That had to be heartwrenching for you.

[Samurai_Writer]

14. Yes, it still is, 27 years later

When people go on about how 'wonderful' an option adoption is for pregnant women, it makes me want to scream.

My story is at www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/2991/marybb.html

[Midlodemocrat]

22. Your story is amazing.

Thank you for posting that. I did my dissertation on the effects of adoption on both child and birthmother and I wish I had known you when I wrote it.

[redwitch]

55. I've just finished reading your story.

I think my heart just broke. I hope you hear from him some day and he understands how much love you have for him.

[Hobarticus]

12. I'm so very sorry for this, it had to be terrible. n/t

[AngryOldDem]

15. So sorry

Not much more I can say.

Totally understand your hurt and anger.

[TlalocW]

17. Hey, Catholic Charities

See that screen door? Don't let it hit your ass on your way out.

The church shouldn't worry though - it can still do what it does best and be hypocritical about its faith, send molesting priests to other parishes, and attempt to hide its various properties when being sued by abuse victims.

TlalocW

[TankLV]

35. Hypocritical Catholic Church - THAT's it in a nutshell.

The BIGOTED HATEFUL HYPOCRITICAL Catholic Church is at the forefront of groups for a law to outlaw casinos and all gambling in Buffalo - well not all gambling - they want to maintain their bingo games, fucking pervs!

FUCKING HYPOCRITES!

[sui generis]

18. I'd like a big mac and cheese please

sorry, I can't serve that. I'm a vegetarian.

We'd like to adopt a child who needs a family, provide it with a loving home, fun siblings, really cool doting relatives, cousins, friends and grandparents, an education and a chance at life, and hope and joy, and real real parents who love and care and will fight to the death for him or her.

Sorry . . . can't serve that.

These people are freaks - they need to go find a real devil to shit on. This is here and now and we're real people, not evil incarnate.

Where are the "good catholics" now who are supposed to be speaking up and saying they don't agree and they're going to do something about it?

[AngryOldDem]

20. I am especially disappointed at J. Brian Hehir

He has been at the forefront of many social justice issues that the Church has taken part in over the past decade or so. I had -- note the past tense -- a great deal of respect for him. No more.

[FooFootheSnoo]

31. There are good Catholics standing up and saying they don't agree

Here's a quote from the article, I'm a newbee, so forgive me if it's not in the right format:

"Eight members of Catholic Charities board later stepped down in protest of the bishops' stance. The 42-member board had voted unanimously in December to continue considering gay households for adoptions."


So, eight members of the board, who I assume are Catholic, stepped down in protest. I know it's not a lot of people, but there are some out there.

[sui generis]

32. that's good to hear - sad for them though

The Catholic church could do so much more real "good" if it stopped doing this kind of evil.

Isn't it ironic that declining numbers in attendance are declining because the church is stuck in the middle ages and it's hard to reconcile that with modern life and socio-political systems built on individual freedoms.

That's why the church is so big in third world countries, and Nigeria and Angola - places that would never notice a few missing freedoms anyway, and think the rest of the world should be just like them.

phooey.

Also ironic that nearly every problem this church faces both internally and externally in modern society is caused by the rigidity and inability of the church to adapt, not by the societies in which the church exists.

[AngryOldDem]

34. There are many of us "out here"...

... who are becoming more fed up and angry at a Church that insists keeping its head up its ass. Sorry to be so blunt, but this kind of legalism and hate is NOT living the Gospel and mission of Christ.

Sacrificing the welfare and well-being of any number of children in order to keep its dogma intact...somehow I don't think Jesus would approve, given that he apparently had no opinion on homosexuality one way or another. He also, as I recall, had a special place in his heart for children and the least among us.

Welcome to DU, by the way.

[sui generis]

59. thank you

nuff said

[WhiteTara]

21. I'm sick and tired of those child molesting

homophobes. I have no idea what kind of comfort anyone gets out of that religion.

[LibDemAlways]

24. Next thing you know the church will prohibit heterosexual

couples from raising gay children.

On the subject of Catholic Charities though....I lost whatever respect I may have had for the local organization a few Thanksgivings ago. The local newspaper ran an article listing all of the organizations providing free Thanksgiving dinners. Most read "Such and Such church welcomes all between noon and 4." Not Catholic charities. Their blurb read "Catholic charities will serve Thanksgiving dinner. Proof of need required." I couldn't believe it. Yeah, we'll give you some food...but first you have to prove you're poor and hungry. Bring your latest bank statement.
Just horrible.

[hedgehog]

25. The bishops are going to regret stirring up this bee's nest

The people in the pews have tolerated the annual birth control sermon (although it's been wore in some dioceses than others) as long as it didn't interfere with real life. But more and more these medieval superstitions are hurting real people. We're running out of priests, good people are being treated shabbily, people with talent are being shown the door. It was OK to let these guys play their games as long as no one was being hurt, but now people are getting mad, and they are not all willing to walk out the door. Damn it, IT'S OUR CHURCH TOO!

[Occulus]

44. Am I the only one who takes offense to this:

"t was OK to let these guys play their games as long as no one was being hurt,"

Is it just me, or is there something very wrong (but revealing) about that statement?

[hedgehog]

49. What I meant was that basically we ignored a lot of what

they said. That's why you don't see mothers herding six or eight kids into the pews on Sundays anymore. (Although I am the exception - I believe in birth control - I just wanted to have a lot of kids!) It didn't matter what the bishops said as long as they weren't actually effecting anyone's life. Now that they are actually interfering more and more, and now that the sins of the past are coming to light, the people in the pews are not so willing to tolerate these guys. It was live and let live before, but those days are fading fast.

[AngryOldDem]

51. Unfortunately, we in the pews really don't matter

As I said during the height of the sex scandal (as if it's ever been properly "resolved"), it will take a literal revolt on the part of the clergy to effect ANY kind of change in the Church. Most priests -- if they have a conscience and a soul -- must be bothered to their very cores about what is being foisted on us by a handful of men who have no idea what they are doing, other than having a blind allegiance to dogma and legalism. Once they find their voice and not worry about being banished to Outer Siberia by their bishops will things change. Some already do, quietly, by letting people make up their own minds about issues such as birth control. But they have to have the courage to do so publicly -- and many of us laity will be standing right by them in support as they do so.

I cannot believe that deep down J. Bryan Hehir is not troubled by the decision he had a part in making. It renders all his very fine work with Catholic Charities USA moot.

One other point: I've heard time and again that we should do our talking with our wallets. Still doesn't matter. Archdioceses will still get their cut of the money, regardless of how many of us aren't contributing. They'll just bankrupt their parishes. I know this for a fact. Sometimes I really think the only answer is to just walk away and let the Church rot among its own bigots and modern-day Pharisees.

[hedgehog]

58. We've had two priests walk away in six months here

and we can't afford the loss. More and more people are getting really upset; but as you said, there is no mechanism for change. The change is coming one way or another. The pastor said st the last parish council meeting that we have to leave these things in the hands of the Holy Spirit. I answered that the Holy Spirit is coming to take care of things, and Boy, is SHE PISSED!

[AngryOldDem]

65. The Spirit IS working among us...

...and it is crying out for change. Sadly, only a few of us are listening.

[geniph]

28. I went to a Rainbow Families dinner

this last Valentine's Day. All I can say is, I wish all these homophobic bigots could have been there to see it. Loving families. Two parents taking care of their children. Many, many of these children were "special needs" kids that no one else is adopting - meth babies, kids with severe ADHD, kids with physical and emotional disabilities, kids who've been horribly abused in the foster system.

These kids don't have a right to those loving families? Those parents don't have a right to care for and love those children because there's the wrong number of penises involved?

I don't understand that mindset, and frankly, I don't see how anyone who'd seen the Rainbow Families dinner could possibly come away unmoved.

Bless all of you who take in the "special needs" kids and work to give them a loving, caring upbringing.

[redwitch]

54. A few years ago I was at the airport waiting for hubby and son

I was watching the people coming and going and I saw a couple of gray haired ladies anxiously scanning the walkway. Two 30 something men appeared with an infant and all the gear and walked towards the ladies. It was about the happiest reunion I have ever witnessed. They were all grinning from ear to ear and crying at the same time. I had tears in my eyes witnessing this joyful moment in the lives of complete strangers. How anyone could not see this as ultimate goodness, I have no clue.

[Strong Atheist]

29. More tolerance. Christ would be proud, dontcha think? nt.

[Trillo]

30. Boston Archdiocese?

Wasn't that the same place that had a bit of a pedophile problem for a few decades?

Why are they even allowed to have ANYTHING to do with kids? Why aren't "sexual offender" notices hanging on this corporate's doorways?

Zero tolerance for little people, infinite tolerance for corporatists.

[Rose Siding]

36. How unchristian

[JerseygirlCT]

38. Nice to see them putting the needs of children first.

It's astounding how far some people will go to hold on to their prejudices.

[arwalden]

39. What Is WRONG With Those People???

[HuffleClaw]

42. so, basically a whole pile of people have to suffer because of the church

and its narrow views? what a bad move, reminds me of when some big st. patricks day parade was cancelled entirely because gays were permitted to march in it.

[OneBlueSky]

43. damned Chirstian of 'em . . . n/t

.

[enigmatic]

45. What a bunch of vindictive f*cks

This makes me throw up.

[Behind the Aegis]

46. Mark 10:14

"Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of G-d."

For people so interested in the welfare of children, they seem to be missing the point. A stable, loving home is better than none at all!!!

Homophobia, alive and thriving in the "enlightened" world!

[TaleWgnDg]

47. Here's some background material on this . . .

.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[TaleWgnDg]

48. And, some more background material on this . . .

.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[ABaker]

52. Good. Our taxes should not be funding anti-gay groups anyway. n/t

[redwitch]

53. I'm Catholic too. I guess I'm not a very good one though.

I am hanging by a thread after this. I don't know what to do, I have attended other church services and none of them feel right to me. I think I would have left the church a while ago if I had found a substitute. I always thought that if people like me stay in the church we can create change from within, now I am not at all sure. And I am sad about it.
A friend of mine at church is raising a son with her partner. Great people, great happy, well adjusted, loving kid. This is such a slap in the face to them, I think. If I feel this bad, how must my friend feel?

[kiranon]

57. Sorry post went to topside, meant it to go here

Am not that computer literate - sorry for post going much higher up re "It's All About the Money . . ."

[HockeyMom]

62. My Lesbian Daughter at Mass

She went to Communion and I didn't. I stopped 40 years ago while still in Catholic HS over the birth control issue. But that is the subject of another thread.

Anyway, my daughter goes up to the Communion rail wearing her Rainbow Pin and looking very butch. The priest officiating at Mass was the same one who gave her her First Communion 20 years ago.

On the way out of Mass, the priest made his way among the crowd and stopped my daughter. He said, "Hello, Allison (remembered her NAME!). I am so glad to see you. You look well. I hope to see you again next Sunday. Go with God."

We were totally dumbfounded.

Just as an aside, straight couples bear and raise GAY children. Fact of life. So, why can't gay couples raise children? My gay Aunt did (biological child) and so is my daughter's partner and many of her friends (again, biological children). So what is the big deal about ADOPTION? Gays or straights? The child will become who they were BORN to become; straight or gay. As a straight mother, I raised one of each.

[hedgehog]

63. This is more common than not.

The priests tend to find the bishops embarrassing. Who gets to be a bishop? The guy who sucks up to the hierarchy the most.

[AngryOldDem]

66. I'd hazard to guess that this priest is not alone...

...in his acceptance of those things that a handful of men have declared sinful.

And as another aside, in my area we have had a rash of child abuse cases recently that have been really heinous. Two kids have died. Just goes to show that basing "fitness of parenting" on one's sexual orientation really isn't a reliable barometer of said "fitness," after all. I've known many gays and lesbians who I thought would make wonderful parents -- can't say the same about some of my straight friends.