|
(Boston, Massachusetts) As expected Massachusetts
Gov. Mitt Romney filed legislation Wednesday that would exempt Catholic
Charities from adhering to the state's equal rights law when putting children up
for adoption.
Massachusetts law bars discrimination against
gays and lesbians in providing services.
Last week Catholic Charities said it would stop
placing children for adoption rather than adhere to the law. (story)
The state's bishops earlier sought an exemption from the law.
Romney said Wednesday that he hoped the Church
would hold off its decision until the legislature considers his "Protecting Religious Freedom" bill.
In a letter to lawmakers Romney said that same-sex couples have a legitimate interest in
adopting children, but the services Catholic Charities provides are more
important than maintaining "a faith-blind law."
"I believe it is important to safeguard religious liberty as well as the
interests of our most vulnerable citizens," Romney said.
But the measure is unlikely to pass the Democratically
controlled State House.
Senate President Robert E. Travaglini said he
would oppose the bill. Travaglini said there is no evidence that placing
adoptive children with gay parents causes any harm.
He also also sharply criticized the agency's
decision to end its adoption program.
House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi said there is
little support in that chamber.
In a statement earlier this week DiMasi said that
the state must ''ensure that discrimination is not tolerated in this vital
publicly-supported function."
Romney's move is seen is an attempt to curry
favor with the core of the Republican Party as he positions himself for a
presidential run.
Meanwhile, Catholic Charities of San Francisco
said Friday that it was considering the changes to its adoption rules that could
ban gays from adopting. (story)
Catholic Charities of Denver said it also will
develop a formal policy barring gays from adopting children in the agency's
care.
Archbishop William Levada, head of the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, last week said that a 2003 Vatican
document makes clear that ''Catholic agencies should not place children for
adoption in homosexual households."
Levada is the former archbishop of San
Francisco. The church position led San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom to
cancel a trip to Rome where he was to observed the elevation of Levada to
cardinal. (story)
©365Gay.com 2006
|
Entertainment
