Two More Illinois Catholic Adoption Agencies Opt Out Over Civil Unions

According to a report in today's Chicagoist, two additional Catholic dioceses have followed the lead of Rockford Catholic Charities. (See prior posting.) Separately, Catholic Charities of Peoria and Joliet have informed the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services that they will no longer approve couples for foster care and adoption because of Illinois' new civil union law. The Catholic social service organizations refuse to place children with unmarried cohabiting couples, and they are concerned that they may face liability for applying that policy to couples in same-sex or opposite-sex civil unions. The groups want legislation that will explicitly allow them to refer these couples to other adoption agencies.