Catholic adoption agency chooses closure over gay parenting
March 10th, 2010 by Siobhan.McGuirk
West Yorkshire adoption agency Catholic Care have told a High Court judge that they would rather close down than place at-risk children in the care of gay couples.
Last year, the Charity Tribunal ruled that Catholic Care could not be exempt from equality legislation which prevents agencies from restricting its services to heterosexual couples only. The agency is now appealing this decision in the High Court, where they are opposed by the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Charity Commission.
In Court yesterday Christopher McCall QC, representing Catholic Care, said that as the charity was, “inspired by the tenets of the Roman Catholic Church” they believe that, “a family unit is made up of a man and woman whose lives together are fulfilled by the blessing of children”.
McCall continued: “It accepts that to carry on as before involves discrimination but says it is merely a justifiable means to a legitimate end, namely that of securing homes for children who could be expected not otherwise to find homes at all”.
Mark Wiggin, CEO of Catholic Care, claims that the charity has put 1,388 of the most vulnerable children in Yorkshire into “loving” households since 1963. If the agency closed, he said, “children would lose an effective and well respected resource in the Yorkshire region”.
McCall admitted, however, that there were more children than suitable heterosexual homes available for them. Despite this, and after having 21 months to adjust to the new rules, Catholic Care is the last adoption agency still fighting Sexual Orientation Regulations (SORs). The Roman Catholic Church lost an earlier battle against the SORs, which state that gay couples must be considered as adoptive parents in the same way heterosexual parents are.
The case will be heard for two more days and the verdict returned at a later date.
“at risk children” & the catholic church….don’t make me sick, this from the very institution who raped, beat and abused “at risk” children for decades here in Ireland and make slaves of the women in the launderies and sold their children born outside wedlock….. they have the cheek to say gay couples can’t have a child!!!!!
Trish ∼ March 24th, 2010 3:54 pmi have been a lesbian 4 16 yrs and have brought up 8 children ive also brought up 4 children that arnt mine
eleanor ∼ March 24th, 2010 9:53 pm