Illinois Catholic Charities Adoption Battle: Charities' Attorney To Appeal Judge's Decision

An attorney representing Catholic Charities in four Illinois church dioceses said Monday that he will appeal a judge's ruling against his client in a battle forged after the state's Department of Children and Family Services said they would no longer contract with the agencies if they were to deny foster care and adoption contracts to same-sex couples in civil unions.

According to an Associated Press report, attorney Peter Breen of the Thomas More Society will ask for a stay of Sangamon County Circuit Judge John Schmidt's Aug. 18 ruling against Catholic Charities in the ongoing legal battle. Breen reportedly hopes Schmidt will reconsider his finding that the agencies do not have a legal right to contract with the state, and therefore lack a property interest in the contracts.

Judge Schmidt's decision was received with great disappointment from Catholic leaders throughout the state. Bishop Daniel Jenky of the church's Peoria archdiocese said that "the political establishment in the state of Illinois are now basically at war with the Catholic community and seem to be destroying their institutions." Another bishop, Thomas John Paprocki of the Springfield diocese, said the decision marked "a sad day for the children of Illinois."

LGBT advocates, on the other hand, were pleased by the decision. Veteran gay activist Rick Garcia described it as "a victory not only for fairness and decency but also [one that] sends the message that discrimination is unacceptable even if done in the name of religion" in a statement.

Catholic Charities originally sued the state of Illinois in June over the loss of their $30 million annual contract placing foster and adoptive children in homes on behalf of the state. The state argues that Catholic Charities' practice of denying those placements to unmarried couples violates the state's civil union law and discrimination laws.

Comments

[stepheneg]

10:27 PM on 10/16/2011

Hmmm, How about thinking of the children who need to be adopted. The Catholics are so worried - about what? Yet another insult to gay men and women.

[Jacques Steen]

06:10 PM on 08/30/2011

Fat "bishop" Junky in Peoria and skinny dope Paprocki in Springtown should be the first ones TAXED by a new law putting the Mackerel Snappers on level ground with the rest of us.

Don't like our laws ?

How about paying taxes on your properties, boys ?

[stav506]

02:44 PM on 08/30/2011

I heard this quote from a TV show where you would probably never expect to hear it. I think it is apt for the situation.

How is love wrong? In whatever form it takes, how is love wrong?
Tobias Beecher - OZ inmate (HBO Series OZ)

Wouldn't Jesus/God/Allah/Joe Pesci be happy that SOMEONE, ANYONE is loving these kids?

(I just had to get the George Carlin God monoluge reference in too, didn't I?)

[modernsteven]

01:23 PM on 08/30/2011

Any church including the Catholic church should have it's tax exempt status REVOKED for advocating discrimination against any group. More proof the church, and religion in genereal is all about $$$$$$$$$.

[emperorofohio]

12:58 PM on 08/30/2011

My mother raised my as a catholic, and i attended catholic schools and all that nonsense. I used to give to catholic charities when i could. One day the phone rang and it was someone from catholic charities asking once again for a donation, so i explained that i was not working and had not been for some time so i had nothing to give them. The woman was understanding and asked when i might be able to contribute in the future. So i asked her if records showed that i had given in the past to which she replied yes. i could not help but then ask, would it be possible for you to help me out in this my time of need. There was silence and then i was told, i will have to check with the bishop and then she hung up and i have never heard from them again

[kenoshaguy2]

04:09 PM on 08/30/2011

Catholic church loves to take. Getting anything from them is another story! I have given for years also, I am sure if you asked for anything you'd get a rap on the knuckles with a ruler.

[TimCapehart]

12:36 PM on 08/30/2011

Most "Christian" church organizations in America have become great hate engines. I wonder, Pat Robertson, is that a sign of the apocalypse?

[crookedcountyillinois]

01:40 PM on 08/30/2011

Robertson: "Nope. It's a sign of God's will. Now, excuse me, but I have some diamond mining to do in Africa."

[sfisher951]

12:36 PM on 08/30/2011

The separation of church and state is a key element of the US constitution. We should not be giving money to any religious institution for any purpose, much less religious institutions that discrimminate against protected classes of people. The Catholic church has a history of persecuting folks that are "different" to the point of torturing and killling them.

[annadams]

10:35 AM on 08/30/2011

Jesus said that love was one of the most important things. We are to love one another. What's most important is that the children are loved and cared for. That's what should matter. No matter if the couple is gay or straight - love should be the consideration for adoption.