Civil Union Law Forces Catholic Charities to Drop Adoption Service

Sarah Torre / June 01, 2011

Yet another faith-based organization has fallen victim to a state government’s refusal to defend religious liberty. After more than 100 years serving the most vulnerable children in Illinois, the Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Rockford will cease its state-funded adoption and foster care services today.

The diocese decided to terminate its $7.5 million contract with the state of Illinois after policymakers failed to include a religious exemption in the state’s new civil unions law, effective today. Under the new law, Illinois foster care and adoption agencies may be forced to place children with unmarried, cohabitating couples—either homosexual or heterosexual. Faith-based adoption agencies are potentially vulnerable to increased liability if they continue to follow their moral convictions and refuse to place children in homes headed by unmarried couples. (more…)