Flemish bishops apologize for forced adoptions

November 25, 2015

The bishops of the northern Belgian region of Flanders have asked forgiveness for the role of Catholic institutions in forcing unmarried women to give their children up for adoption during the 1960s and 1970s.

The bishops expressed sorrow for the “trauma caused by the separation of mother and child. This has left profound scars.”

The bishops also pledged to cooperate in archival research to help birth mothers find their children.

 

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Further information:

• Adoptions forcées: les évêques flamands demandent pardon (CathoBel)
• Flemish parliament to apologise for forced adoptions (Flanders Today)