Leading Roman Catholic adoption agencies have severed their links with the Church so that they can comply with the law and provide a service to gay couples.
-- From "Adoption chiefs sever links with the Church to ensure survival" by Rosemary Bennett, Social Affairs Correspondent, The Times
The Times has learnt that five big agencies, including the largest in the country, felt that they had no choice because the Church opposes gay adoptions. Some agencies are changing their constitutions, funding structures and even their names.
New laws in 2007 banned providers of goods and services from discriminating on the ground of sexuality, and adoption agencies were told that they would have to consider applications from gay couples. In response Catholic bishops warned that the agencies would have to close if an exemption was not granted.
The Government rejected appeals for an exemption but ministers gave the agencies a 20-month transition period, which has now ended.
Maxine Smeaton, head of fundraising at Cabrini, said that it had to be pragmatic. “It was important not to get sentimental and too caught up in the name. We are here to provide services for children,” she said. “If we stopped the adoption service no one else would be providing it in the South of England. We are here for the children and that is our primary concern.”
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
