UK Court rules Catholic Charities breaking law on homosexual adoption

It is becoming increasingly impossible for the Catholic Church to maintain her autonomy in the face of the homosexual lobby, especially in the United Kingdom:

"The tribunal ruled that a "heterosexuals only" policy in the adoption field of the Catholic Church in England and Wales would fall foul of the ban on discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation brought in two years ago.

The Tribunal's ruling leaves leading charity Catholic Care (Diocese of Leeds) facing a deep religious impasse and creates a fundamental conflict between the tenets of the Catholic Church and the law of the land.

If the charity now sticks to Church policy and continues to follow its "heterosexuals only" policy it could lose its charity status and public funding.

It might also face discrimination claims by same-sex couples it has turned away in the past.

The ruling means that Catholic Care has been thwarted in its wish to amend its charitable objectives on religious grounds so that it could discriminate against same-sex couples wishing to adopt.

Catholic Care has a respected reputation, particularly in finding new families for "hard to place" children, but has never provided adoption services to homosexuals for religious reasons. (UK Telegraph)"

In other words, similar to cases in the US, Catholic Charities is faced with the option of getting out of the adoption business ... or compromising its principles. That's a choice a Church charity shouldn't have to make.

update: and, as if on cue, 9th Circuit Upholds Anti-Catholic Resolution - Same-sex Adoption Backgrounder.

Ph/t: Blog of the Courtier.