| International News

In a Jan. 22 letter to British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his cabinet, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor of Westminster said that the implementation of Sexual Orientation Regulations in obligating consideration of applications from homosexual couples as potential adoptive parents would require church agencies “to act against the principles of Catholic teaching.”

“We believe it would be unreasonable, unnecessary and unjust discrimination against Catholics for the government to insist that if they wish to continue to work with local authorities, Catholic adoption agencies must act against the teaching of the church and their own consciences by being obliged in law to provide such a service,” the cardinal said.

The regulations, which are set to be in force in April for England, Scotland and Wales, bans discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the provision of facilities, goods and services, including adoption..

A proposed compromise to the law’s interpretation would allow Catholic agencies to refuse to accept homosexual couples as adoptive parents though require the referral of them to agencies that would accept them.

Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor said that the Catholic Church “utterly condemns all forms of unjust discrimination, violence, harassment or abuse directed against people who are homosexual,” and teaches the acceptance of gay men and women “with respect, compassion and sensitivity.”

He added that the British church recognizes “many elements of recent legislation.”

Yet, stressing the importance Catholic teaching places on family life and the role of a union between a man and a woman in building a loving home, the cardinal said that the Catholic Church requires “our agencies to recruit and approve appropriate married and single people to meet the needs of children in local authority care for whom adoption has been identified as being in their best interest.”

“Catholic adoption agencies,” he added, “would not be able to recruit and consider homosexual couples as potential adoptive parents,” though noted that placement with a single adoptive parent may be appropriate.

Catholic agencies have already provide informations to all who seek to adopt, whether they meet the criteria for acceptance, he said. “Homosexual couples are referred to other agencies where their adoption application may be considered,” he said. “This ‘sign-posting’ responsibility is taken very seriously by all Catholic adoption agencies.”

“This is an appeal for ‘fair play,’” the cardinal said, “particularly for those many children, Catholic or not, who continue to benefit from the widely recognized professional and committed adoption services provide through Catholic adoption agencies.”

Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor pointed to the “excellent and highly valued adoption service” provided by Catholic agencies, which represents almost one-third of the voluntary adoption sector.

“It would be an unnecessary tragedy if legislation forced the closure of these adoption services, thereby significantly reducing the potential resources of adoptive families for the approximately 4,000 children currently waiting for adoption placements,” the cardinal said.

He called on the prime minister to ensure that the forthcoming regulations “enable our agencies to continue their work with local authorities for the common good.”

“There is nothing to lose,” he said, “and children waiting for an adoptive family have much to gain, by our continuing successful collaboration.”

Last July, the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales warned that Catholic adoption agencies in Britain could be forced to close if legislators pass regulations to give gays and lesbians more rights.

The bishops, in a submission to the government, said they sought an exemption based on Catholic teaching that "gay and lesbian couples cannot be assessed as prospective adopters."

"The impact of these regulations could mean, therefore, that, in the worst-case scenario, without an exception being granted, Catholic adoption and fostering agencies would close," they said.

The Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said, in a 2003 document, same-sex couple adoption is "gravely immoral."

In 2006, two U.S. archdioceses amended their adoption practices because of new laws required that gay and lesbian couples seeking to adopt children not be discriminated against. The Archdiocese of Boston ended it offering of adoption services, and Catholic Charities in the San Francisco Archdiocese ended adoption placements.