Catholic agencies allowed to discriminate against gay parents  | News | Advocate.com

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April 18, 2006
Catholic agencies allowed to discriminate against gay parents

Roman Catholic adoption agencies won't be penalized by the state of Massachusetts for refusing to consider gays and lesbians as adoptive parents, even though doing so violates state antidiscrimination laws. The state Department of Early Education, which regulates adoption agencies, said it is not taking action because Gov. Mitt Romney has proposed legislation that could allow the agencies to refrain from considering gays on religious grounds. "We're going to wait and see how the legislation plays out," Constantia Papanikolaou, the agency's general counsel, told The Boston Globe.

Romney proposed the bill after Catholic Charities of Boston announced last month it was ending its adoption services because it could not reconcile state law with church teaching, which considers adoption by gays "gravely immoral." Gary Buseck, legal director of Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders in Boston, said his group has not publicly protested because the state will have a new governor next year.

All of the candidates for governor oppose exempting Catholic groups from antidiscrimination laws. Romney is not seeking another term.

Catholic Charities of Boston ended its adoption services in March. Since then, several other Catholic social service agencies have said they will not accept gay applicants. Catherine Loeffler, executive director of Catholic Charities of Worcester, said her agency is not harming gays and lesbians by refusing to consider them because it simply refers these applicants to other agencies. (AP)

© 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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