Posted on 12/28/2011 1:11:16 PM PST by Responsibility2nd
Catholic Charities in Illinois has served for more than 40 years as a major link in the state’s social service network for poor and neglected children. But now most of the Catholic Charities affiliates in Illinois are closing down rather than comply with a new requirement that says they can no longer receive state money if they turn away same-sex couples as potential foster care and adoptive parents.
For the nation’s Roman Catholic bishops, the outcome is a prime example of what they see as an escalating campaign by the government to trample on their religious freedom while expanding the rights of gay people. The idea that religious Americans are now the victims of government-backed persecution is now a frequent theme not just for Catholic bishops, but also for Republican presidential candidates and conservative evangelicals.
“In the name of tolerance, we’re not being tolerated,” said Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield, Ill., a civil and canon lawyer who helped drive the church’s losing battle to retain its state contracts for foster care and adoption services.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Tim Kee, a teacher in Marion, Ill., who was turned away by Catholic Charities three years ago when he and his longtime partner, Rick Wade, tried to adopt a child, said: “We’re both Catholic, we love our church, but Catholic Charities closed the door to us. To add insult to injury, my tax dollars went to provide discrimination against me.”
““We’re both Catholic, we love our church, but...”
Hogwash!
It’s Church verses State.
There is no question the Church can do twice as much good with half as much money as the State can do. But when it comes down to using tax dollars - the State will win every time.
I guess I’m just ignorant or not “politically correct”. But I just don’t understand why we have to force Catholic Charities and others out of the family adoption business because of the coming of homosexual marriage/civil unions.
Why do we have to force a good organization providing a beneficial service to society out of that business, just to make the gay community happy?
Why doesn’t the Human Rights Campaign and Lambda Legal, and popular homosexuals such as Rosie O’Donnell, start their own homosexual adoption organization? And leave established organizations such as Catholic Charities alone?????
““We’re both Catholic, we love our church, but...”
they can not be Catholic as their lifestyle excommunicates them.
you know this diocese needs to bring this to the supremes...it is a blatant example of prevention of freedom of religion.
Key... don’t take state money.
Amen brother.
“I guess I’m just ignorant or not “politically correct”. But I just don’t understand why we have to force Catholic Charities and others out of the family adoption business because of the coming of homosexual marriage/civil unions.”
Because fagots HATE Christianity.
The whole purpose of all this gay rights garbage is to permanently silence Christianity.
Ding ding ding.
However IIRC, it was worse in Massachusetts - the state would not license the Catholic adoption agency unless they placed children with homosexuals.
In the old days, church charities operated without taking state coin - time to go back to that.
Stop taking state money.
Now that's interesting. That statement assumes that homosexuality is a civil right, even though he would have to tell me if he is homosexual or not - as opposed to race or sex where the difference is apparent without explanation. If I tell you I'm homosexual, you have to accept that but if I told you I was a black female, you don't. Is that fair?
What about same-sex "couples" who are not homosexual? Are they treated differently? What about homosexuals who refuse to admit their homosexuality? What about heterosexuals who pretend to be homosexual? Don't they deserve protection?
Suppose I want to be homosexual this week and heterosexual next week? Does that apply? Can I get "rights" on alternate weeks?
Apparently.
This will no doubt earn me flames, but the real scandal is that “Catholic” Charities is funded in large part by the US Government and not the faithful.
We Catholics have not done a good job of supporting our (worthy) institutions. (I am well aware that there are plenty of unworthy “Catholic” institutions - the LCWR and CCHD spring to mind.)
This IMHO is a pernicious side effect of the double whammy of high taxation & materialistic culture - families don’t feel they have enough left over to sustain our charitable institutions. (not saying it is justified.)
I am of mixed mind as to whether we should accept government funding. One the one hand, I’d prefer it going to Catholic Charities instead of ACORN. On the other, it is inevitible that the government would eventually force some unacceptable conditions.
The whole purpose of all this gay rights garbage is to permanently silence Christianity.
Exactly . And to Destroy the Church from the inside. First you divide, then you destroy . Gays have are doing both.
The whole purpose of all this gay rights garbage is to permanently silence Christianity.
Exactly . And to Destroy the Church from the inside. First you divide, then you destroy . Gays are doing both.
I heard a guy put it well the other day, when referring to the bell ringer’s greeting of “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”.
The ringer said he didn’t want to offend anyone, and the guy said that wasn’t true. He was just choosing whom he would offend, and he had decided that offending Christians was OK.
So, when someone says they “don’t want to offend anyone” and choose PC verbiage or behavior, call them on it.
The next thing that’s going to happen is they’ll sue to have the Church UN-excommunicate them because it’s discrimination against gays to excommunicate them in the first place, and some judge will agree!
I know it sounds crazy, but 25 years ago, so would allowing homos to marry and adopt kids, and kicking the Church out of the adoption business because they wouldn’t go along with it.
Sen. Kristin Gillibrand has just put a bill on the table in Washington, D.C. to make it nationwide: coast-to-coast coercion.
The Bishops will be properly leading their flocks when they actually shout from the pulpit that placing children with homosexual couples is disgusting, immoral and evil.
Pingout tomorrow.
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