High Court to hear Catholic Care gay adoption case

News

High Court to hear Catholic Care gay adoption case 7

Governance | Gareth Jones | 3 Mar 2010

Catholic Care (Diocese of Leeds) will today appeal to the High Court as it seeks exemption from equality laws which require it to allow homosexuals to use its adoption services.

Catholic Care is the only one of the UK’s 11 Catholic adoption agencies to continue its fight against the Sexual Orientation Regulations 2007.

In June last year it had its appeal rejected by the Charity Tribunal.

The charity has received backing from the Bishops of Hallam, Leeds & Middlesbrough, who wrote a joint letter to be read at Sunday masses in their dioceses last weekend.

They said: “Our position is that it is in the interests of children to continue our work. We are not judging other agencies that accept same sex couples for adoption, but feel strongly that we should not be forced to do so, nor is there a necessity for this to happen.

“We believe that this is a legally justifiable position to take and that it is a reasonable response to a legitimate end.”

They added: “If Catholic Care is forced to close its adoption service it is children who will lose an effective and well respected resource in the Yorkshire region.”

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TonyF
None
Retired
3 Mar 2010

I hope the Society wins its case. Equality fascists need to review what they are really achieving.

[Reply]

Carl Allen
none
none
3 Mar 2010
Response to [ TonyF]

It is more a case of equality campaigners needing to reflect on the useful differences between equality and equity in this instance.

Tolerance and the availability of choice come to mind.

[Reply]

Carl Allen
none
none
3 Mar 2010

In law, there is equality and there is equity.

There is no practical necessity, for the forseeable future, to force or even nudge Catholic Care where it does not want to go.

Indeed the legal and civil society question here is whether equality trumps equity in this particular matter.

[Reply]

Tony
n/a
n/a
3 Mar 2010

This is a truly appalling story.

"Accepting same sex couples"?? Why is this even in the news in 2010?

As a (lapsed) Catholic, it is yet another example of Il Papa's troops burying their heads in the sand. Why don't they revert to the days of "churching" (i.e., cleansing!) post-partum women while they are at it?

Still, good to know they still have a direct line to God and that they are patently doing His work by keeping children from good, stable, loving fathers and mothers. I despair...

[Reply]

Clare Tate
n/a
n/a
2 Mar 2010

I think its wrong to force the Catholic Care agency to accept same sex couples, why make them accept something that they do not believe in?

There are other agencies that do accept same sex couples, so what is the benefit if another good agency closes because they do not comply with this ruling?

It doesn't make sense to have fewer agencies for an ever increasing problem.

[Reply]

Bill
Um, also no thanks
Um, No thanks.
2 Mar 2010

The Catholic Church can always be counted on to fight for their right to treat human beings badly.

That, and the molestation of young children.

Morality indeed, Mr. Pope and your lemmings.

Morality indeed.

[Reply]

Chris Vogel
retired
none
2 Mar 2010

Traditionally, Roman Catholic childcare charities took as their main function not letting children from RC households fall in to the hands of Protestants. More recently, deterring abortion was added. Ironic, since gay and lesbian couples are well known in the field for adopting or fostering children that heterosexual won't accept: disabled, minority, and infants born of HIV+ women (since the child will continue to test HIV+ for up to six months, even if not actually infected.)

[Reply]

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