Peoria diocese drops adoption, foster-care services to resolve conflict with state law

October 06, 2011

The Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, has dropped a legal challenge to a state law requiring equal treatment for same-sex couples in adoption and foster-care services.

The Peoria office of Catholic Charities, which faced the loss of government contracts because it would not comply with the new state law, has chosen to set up a new organization, without formal ties to the Catholic Church, to handle adoption and foster-care cases. The staff of Catholic Charities will join the new organization, which will abide by the new regulations.

“I have a responsibility to assure that Catholic Charities operates consistently with the teachings and values of the Church,” said Peoria’s Bishop Daniel Jenky in explaining the decision to drop the legal case. The newly established office will not follow the precepts of the Church, but it will not operate under the “Catholic” label.

Peoria had been one of four Illinois dioceses whose offices of Catholic Charities challenged the new regulations, arguing that they were an infringement on religious freedom. The other dioceses—Belleville, Joliet, and Springfield—plan to persevere with that legal challenge.

 

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Further information:

• Peoria Diocese solves foster care fiasco (Chicago Tribune)
• Catholic Charities of Peoria ending state foster care contracts (Peoria Journal Star)
• Illinois judge rejects Catholic Charities appeal on adoption contracts (CWN, 9/27)