August 22, 2011
Catholic Charities Loses Funding in Illinois
Catholic Charities has been deeply entrenched in a legal battle against the state of Illinois since 2010, when civil unions became legal for homosexual couples. After civil unions were legalized, Catholic Charities maintained that they refused to adopt to homosexual couples — as a result, their practice is to openly turn away gay couples who want to adopt a child. At one point in this whole mess, Catholic Charities put all of their adoptions on hold, and some agencies closed down services. At this point, couples who had been waiting to adopt a child were now stalled, and thousands of children were at risk for being distributed to foster homes throughout the state when they could have been placed permanently with adoptive families.
Finally, Illinois has ruled that they do not have to supply funding to Catholic Charities adoption agencies, a ruling which the organization is vehemently fighting and expecting to appeal.
It’s frustrating to see news stories like this, especially when they develop into contentious battles at such a widespread level. But across the country, Catholic Charities (which has closed its offices in Boston and Washington D.C., in addition to being entrenched in fiery legal debates over the same issue in the UK) has systematically been fighting the government in places where gay marriage has become legal — desiring their resources, but wanting to be exempt from their politics.
It is our foundational belief that adoption is 100% about creating families and providing homes for children who may not have one otherwise. Through our work, we have seen couples of all race, religion and sexual orientation come together for family and the love of a child. It’s the most beautiful part of our job, and we can’t imagine limiting that, or stipulating against certain individuals, in any way.
If anything: every fight won for equality provides more opportunities for loving families and the creation of new loving home environments. When we look at all of the beautiful, multicultural families we’ve helped facilitate since opening our agency, it’s hard to believe that in 2011 human equality is still an issue. But, as long as it is, we’re in for the fight, and thrilled to see the ever-widening sphere of people who are able to adopt.
Images: Daily Telegraph, On Top Magazine