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Archdiocese of Denver Calls Homosexual Adoption Demand "Imprudent and Wrong"

By John-Henry Westen

DENVER, March 16, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In an uncommonly clear and straightforward statement, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Denver has publicly voiced the problem with homosexual adoption. James H. Mauck, President of Catholic Charities Denver, has stated that, "It is apparent that there are some who wish to compel Catholic Charities to place children with couples whose life choices run contrary to the values and beliefs of Catholic Charities and many other non-profit child placing agencies. This demand is imprudent and wrong."

Catholic Charities agencies around the United States are reacting to the decision of their counterpart in the Archdiocese of Boston to discontinue adoption services after the state refused to budge on a requirement that the organization permit homosexual adoptions. (see coverage: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/mar/06031003.html )

In Boston however, Governor Mitt Romney yesterday filed legislation seeking an exemption for religious groups from the law requiring homosexual couples be given equal treatment as adoptive parents.  In a letter accompanying the "Protecting Religious Freedom" bill Romney wrote House and Senate leaders saying, "It is a matter beyond dispute, and a prerequisite to the preservation of liberty, that government not dictate to religious institutions the moral principles by which they are to carry out their charitable and divine mission."

A Boston Globe editorial tore into Romney for the bill, sarcastically reminding Romney that he is "governor, not a Catholic bishop" and further accused Romney, a Mormon, of "accepting instructions on public policy from the pope." Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented, "In perhaps the most anti-Catholic editorial we've seen in years by any major American newspaper, the Boston Globe erupted in a Catholic-bashing furor yesterday that will surely mar its reputation."

Despite all the attention, Mauk is one of the few Catholic leaders in the United States who has stated explicitly the Catholic stand regarding homosexual adoption.  He said, "Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Denver has consistently held the position that children deserve to be placed into homes centered around a wife and mother, and a husband and father. Human history has amply shown that children thrive best when they grow in such a family." 

Mauk concluded, "Given that the two parent family is society's standard, and is also fundamental to our Christian service identity, any change in our practice is unwarranted, especially since many married couples are already seeking adoption and the number of infant children available for adoption has sharply declined because of the drop in relinquishments and the rise in abortions."

Even Mauk's statements can be seen as soft-pedalling the Catholic teaching which considers adoption by homosexual couples abuse of the adopted children.  In a document issued before he was elected Pope, titled "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."

Even though many Catholic leaders may not be up to defending the Church on homosexual adoption, Jeff Jacoby, a Jewish columnist at the Boston Globe, did so admirably.  In a column titled, "Kids take back seat to gay agenda", Jacoby wrote about the agenda of "the normalization of homosexual adoption."  He said, "So important is that agenda to its supporters that they will allow nothing to stand in its way -- not even the well-being of children in dire need of safe and loving families." (http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/arti... )

Jacoby writes, "The church's request for a conscience clause should have been unobjectionable, at least to anyone whose priority is rescuing kids from foster care. Those who spurned that request out of hand must believe that adoption is designed primarily for the benefit of adults, not children."

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