Cathal BarryHigh Court decision infuriates director of Family Ministry
The Director of Family Ministry in the Diocese of Down and Connor has criticised as “totally unreasonable” a court ruling in the North forcing Catholic adoption service providers to act against their ethos.
Fr Michael McGinnity’s criticism relates to a 2012 High Court decision that couples in Northern Ireland who are not married, those in civil partnerships and same-sex couples could, for the first time, apply to adopt.
Fr McGinnity (pictured) told The Irish Catholic it is “totally unreasonable for legislators to require an agency to act in a way contrary to their principles and ethos”.
The Belfast-based priest’s comments follow the announcement by the North’s Catholic bishops that the long established relationship between the Church and the adoption services provider the Family Care Society (FCS) will come to an end as a result of the High Court decision.
He said the forced withdrawal of Church support would a “major loss” to the FCS.
“In an authentic pluralist society that values and promotes true equality, the law would recognise the right of adoptive parents to avail of services provided by an agency with a Catholic ethos. Sadly this is not the case in Northern Ireland,” Fr McGinnity said.