Catholic Charities of Boston to stop adoption services
State law gives gays right to adopt
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Steve LeBlanc
Associated Press

Boston - The Boston Archdiocese's Catholic Charities said Friday that it would stop providing adoption services because of a state law allowing gays and lesbians to adopt children.

The social services arm of the Roman Catholic archdiocese, which has provided adoption services for the state for about two decades, said the law runs counter to church teachings on homosexuality.

"The world was very different when Charities began this ministry at the threshold of the 20th century," the Rev. J. Bryan Hehir, president of Catholic Charities, said in a joint statement with trustees Chairman Jeffrey Kaneb. "The world changed often, and we adapted the ministry to meet changing times and needs. At all times we sought to place the welfare of children at the heart of our work.

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"But now, we have encountered a dilemma we cannot resolve," the statement said.

Archbishop Sean O'Malley, who had sought an exemption from the law, said the church was faced with a choice between its faith and the state law.

"Sadly, we have come to a moment when Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Boston must withdraw from the work of adoptions in order to exercise the religious freedom that was the prompting for having begun adoptions many years ago," he said in a statement.

Gov. Mitt Romney said he planned to file a bill that would let religious organizations seek an exemption from the state's anti-discrimination laws to provide adoption services.

Lee Swislow, executive director of Gay and Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, said the archdiocese's decision was disappointing.

"All of the homes were good and loving homes and now, through the pressure of the bishops, Catholic Charities is being forced to get out of the business," she said. "There are no winners here. The children are the ones who suffer."

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

Sodomists can't possibly provide a stable home to a child. Better they end up in state care, end up in borstal and onto a life of crime. That's what Jesus would want.

And heeeeeeere comes Mr. Eye-Roller!

As usual the Catholic Church has its head (or something) up its ass.
This is the kind of stunning hypocracy that threatens the very fabric of time and space. OK, report me now.

What is the hypocracy in the position of the Catholic Church?

Aren't laws meant to be good for society as a whole? Is gay marriage and adoption good for the whole of society?

What is the hypocracy in the position of the Catholic Church?

Aren't laws meant to be good for society as a whole? Is gay marriage and adoption good for the whole of society?

Aren't laws meant to be good for society as a whole? Is gay marriage and adoption good for the whole of society?

Catholic Church is one of the most consistent organizations out there.

And it goes without saying that consistency says nothing of merit.

Probably meant to refer to the tendency of any religious group to play moral king-of-the-hill while acting very selectively immoral when an issue swings to their blind side.



Aren't actions immoral, unethical, or capable of being determined as running opposed to definable truth, regardless of legal status?

True, although you could argue that some of the church's consistencies are a positive. Obviously, this is not one of them.

Why is this not a positive consistency?

When no straight parents are available, what's wrong with gay parents?

See the title of this thread. When no straight parents are available, what's wrong with gay parents?

I will take the fire and state that I believe homosexuality is detrimental to society. That isn't to be misconstrued to mean that I really care what individuals do in their private lives - but I do think that, in the case of homosexuality, it is bad for society as a whole.

this hypocricy is insane.

how is it that christians are not lining up outside abortion clinics and giving those women a real choice: "don't abort and we'll adopt your baby"?

why don't the abortion protesters ever ever ever do anything but tell the women they are going to hell?

where is the "love thy neighbor" stuff? why don't christian adoption agencies get in with planned parenthood so that the desperate women can see the people who may adopt her child?

it just might actually work, but no one wants to really follow the teachings of jesus. they just want to be philistine judges and sing out hollow words.