State of Illinois Attacks Catholic Charities, Disregards Children

The State of Illinois could pursue its secularist agenda without forcing Catholic Charities to violate its beliefs or shut down it adoption services. But the state refuses. Its pattern of lies and manipulation reveals malevolence toward the Catholic Church and a lack of concern for the children.

KNOXVILLE, TN (Catholic Online) - Ever since Illinois' civil unions law went into effect on June 1, 2011, the state has used it to bludgeon the Catholic Church. The state's latest attack leaves no doubt about its malevolent intentions. However, to appreciate the full significance of this statement, one needs to recall a little history. The name of the law is the "Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Unions Act." But this name is deceptive, for the law does not protect religious freedom, it severely restricts religious freedom.

It allows practicing homosexuals and unmarried heterosexual couples to adopt children and become foster parents under the guise of tolerance. However, it is also being used by the state to force all adoption agencies operating in Illinois to place children into homes where these promiscuous sexual relationships are being practiced.
 
Is this all really in the best interest of children?  Does this really serve the common good? Use your common sense! Do we really want children placed in homes where non-marital sexual relationships are normative? Have we lost our collective mind? Has the new political correctness of the age dulled our common sense? The Catholic Church saw the hypocrisy in this law early on. She rightly sees that such promiscuous relationships are unstable and unhealthy and can cause serious harm to children. Consequently, the Church tried to get certain language amended in the law in order to protect religious liberty; thereby, allowing her to continue providing services in accordance with her teaching on marriage and in the best interest of the children.

But, to use a term coined by Deacon Keith Fournier- "homosexual equivalency activists" - those who insist on giving a moral and legal equivalency to homosexual partners and truly married people- fought against the Catholic Church's effort and successfully defeated it in the state legislature.They are cultural revolutionaries. When the current law went into effect, at first, the Catholic Church felt forced to shut down her adoption and foster care programs. In response, practicing homosexuals, along with their political supporters, accused the Catholic Church of being intolerant and not caring about the children.

However, on June 7 Catholic Charities from three Illinois dioceses--Springfield, Joliet and Peoria--filed suit against the state in an attempt to continue providing services while seeking religious protection from the so-called "Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Unions Act." This brings us up to the latest attack. In an unethical move to thwart Catholic Charities' lawsuit, the governor and other state officials found a way to cancel Catholic Charities' 40-year contract to provide services in Illinois. The cancellation came by way of a letter on July 8 from the Department of Children and Family Services.

The letter stated that it was ending its relationship with Catholic Charities in three dioceses (can you guess which three?). The letter also accused Catholic Charities of refusing to comply with the state's new law, which is not true. Seeking legal remedy to a law is not the same thing as refusing to comply with the law. In a hearing over this latest attack before Circuit Court Judge John Schmidt on August 18, the attorneys representing Catholic Charities from the Thomas More Society argued that the state's refusal to renew the contracts was not legitimate because it essentially infringed upon the free exercise of their religion. Although similar arguments have successfully served the interests of bizarre cults, pagan religions and Muslims in U.S. courts, the judge decided that this argument did not apply to the Catholic Church. Instead, Judge Schmidt claimed that the fundamental question is not why the state pulled the contracts but only if it was required to contract with Catholic Charities "under any circumstances." He went on to say that "no citizen has a recognized legal right to a contract with the government" and then he accused Catholic Charities of failing to show that they have a "legally recognized property right to renew their contracts." Thus, the judge concluded that the state may refuse to renew the contracts. However, why the state refused to renew the contracts is the fundamental question, and it deserved a straight answer. It would seem the judge simply ignored the real issue and shifted to an irrelevant issue. This is a diversionary tactic, a logical fallacy called a red herring. Furthermore, we are not talking about any circumstances, but very specific and unique circumstances involving the apparent abuse of power. As a result of this chicanery, Catholic Charities' original lawsuit has become a moot point. There is the possibility of an appeal, but under the circumstances it does not seem there is much hope, although all things are possible with God. I say there is not much hope because if the state of Illinois wanted, it could easily pursue its secularist agenda without forcing Catholic Charities to violate its beliefs or shut down it services.

But the state clearly refuses to do this: the pattern of lies, manipulation, and abuse by the state, reveals an extreme level of intolerance and malevolence toward the Catholic Church and an utter disregard for the children. We need to pray for the welfare of children and religious freedom in our country.  
----- Michael Terheyden was born into a Catholic family, but that is not why he is a Catholic. He is a Catholic because he believes that truth is real, that it is beautiful and good, and that the fullness of truth is in the Catholic Church. However, he knows that God's grace operating throughout his life is the main reason he is a Catholic. He is greatly blessed to share his faith and his life with his beautiful wife, Dorothy. They have four grown children and three grandchildren.

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