From Times Online
March 3, 2010
Catholic adoption agency seeks exemption on gay adoption regulations
Charity warns it will give up its work finding homes for children if made to allow homosexual couples to be parents
Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent

The last Catholic adoption society warned that it will have to give up its work finding homes for children if it has to comply with legislation forcing it to allow homosexual couples to be parents.

In a battle in the High Court the agency Catholic Care said it was seeking an exemption from regulations on gay adoption that have forced other Catholic agencies to close or ditch their religious ethos.

Christopher McCall QC, representing Catholic Care, told Mr Justice Briggs that the charity was inspired by Catholic teaching, including the belief that “a family unit is made up of a man and woman whose lives together are fulfilled by the blessing of children”.

Mr McCall said the charity was seeking an exemption under the Sexual Orientation Regulations to allow it to continue to operate as it had always done.

He said that there were more children in need of adoption than there are parents willing to take them.

The charity had been successful in finding parents for children who otherwise would not have placed in a family.

The charity, funded by donations from Catholic congregations, wishes to continue its work, he said.

The discrimination would be justifiable because the charity’s good work outweighs the harm from denying its services to same sex couples who would still be able to go to other adoption agencies.

“It accepts that to carry on as before involves discrimination but says it is merely a justifiable means to a legitimate end, namely that of securing homes for children who could be expected not otherwise to find homes at all,” said Mr McCall.

The Roman Catholic Church is still angry about losing its battle against the regulations when they were introduced in 2006.

Catholic Care’s request for an exemption is being opposed by the Charity Commission and the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Of the eleven Roman Catholic agencies operating in 2007, all but this last remaining one have either closed down or dropped their religious ethos because of the regulations.

Last week the leader of Scotland’s Roman Catholics criticised Labour for courting the religious vote.

After the Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy said in a lecture that the Labour Party should “reflect and respect” the values of faith voters, Cardinal Keith O’Brien said the country has witnessed a “systematic and unrelenting attack on family values” under this Government.

Among other attacks he highlighted the problems faced by adoption agencies.

He said: “When introducing legislation to permit civil partnerships and same-sex adoption, the objections of the Church and other faiths were ignored.”