The sort of folks I associate with here in New York City are still riding high on the recent legalization of same-sex marriage, but concerned about what forms the inevitable backlash will take.
Meanwhile, in Illinois, the legalization of same-sex civil unions on Tuesday has prompted Catholic Charities (first in Rockford, followed quickly by the Peoria and Joliet branches) to discontinue the fostering and adoption services they previously provided — in order to preempt potential state-sanctioned placement of children in their care with “inappropriate” parents. Glenn Van Cura, the executive director in Joliet, cited official CC policy that prohibits placement with “unmarried cohabiting couples, whether same sex or opposite sex.”
Now, the good news: The Youth Service Bureau of Illinois Valley, under the leadership of David McClure, has taken in the hundreds of children affected by CC’s decision, and the state of Illinois has gone as far as severing its fifty-year relationship with CC, electing not to renew any of its foster and adoption contracts with the organization. Governor Pat Quinn told reporters, “We’re not going back. They made a choice. Any organization that decides that because of the civil unions law that they won’t participate voluntarily in a program, that’s their choice.”
Good to know that, when religious organizations won’t live up to the fundamental ethical responsibilities of human beings, secular ones will.
