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Pope's Representative Asks Boston Archbishop to End Catholic Involvement with Gay Adoptions

By John-Henry Westen

BOSTON, December 7, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The US papal nuncio, Gabriel Montalvo Higuera. has reportedly sent a letter to Archbishop Sean O'Malley of Boston asking that the diocesan Catholic Charities discontinue its practice of cooperating in adoptions for homosexual couples.  The Boston Herald reveals the news from an unnamed source.  In response the Archdiocese says it could not comment specifically on the letter but did admit that the controversial practice is under review and that a decision on the matter is expected "early in the New Year."

The controversy erupted in October when the Boston Globe reported that Catholic Charities was involved in homosexual adoptions.  While one spokesman indicated that the cooperation was necessary to comply with state regulations, Catholic Charities' Chairman, Peter Meade, indicated to the Globe that the organization ought to welcome adoptions by homosexuals.  "What we do is facilitate adoptions to loving couples," he said. ''I see no evidence that any child is being harmed."

The agency however, was acting outside its mandate as a Catholic organization since the Catholic Church specifically condemns the adoption of children by homosexual partners.

In a document issued before he was elected Pope, "Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons," then-Cardinal Ratzinger wrote, "Allowing children to be adopted by persons living in (homosexual) unions would actually mean doing violence to these children, in the sense that their condition of dependency would be used to place them in an environment that is not conducive to their full human development."

Famed Catholic World News blogger "Diogenes," summed up the Boston Archdiocese' position from the perspective of Catholic teaching. "Fact: The Catholic Church teaches that allowing homosexual couples to adopt children 'would actually mean doing violence to those children.' Fact: The Boston Archdiocese arranges adoptions by homosexual couples. Conclusion: The Boston archdiocese does violence to children."

Diogenes wrote, "See if I have this right; we (Catholic Charities) have to harm some children, otherwise we'd lose the (state) contract and wouldn't be able to help children in our uniquely Catholic way. Can't help thinking there's a flaw there somewhere."

Calls to Catholic Charities were not returned by press time.

 

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