Catholic Caring ServicesThursday 11 December 2008 will forever be etched in my memory, because it was on that day that the relationship between the Diocese of Lancaster and Catholic Caring Services suffered an irretrievable breakdown. This relationship which had been forged by countless thousands of laity and clergy over more than 100 years ended when the Trustees voted 9-1 in favour of dropping 'Catholic' from their title, signifying their capitulation to Government legislation on 'same sex' adoption with no attempt at resistance.
The Trustees rejected out of hand my repeated pleas in writing and at Meetings of the Board and with the CEO that we should seek an exemption under Human Rights & Religious Freedom Legislation, or failing this, attempt a legal challenge.
Where does this leave us as the Diocese
of Lancaster? As Bishop, I have now been forced to resign from
the Board of Trustees of Catholic Caring Services because
I consider such membership incompatible with my duty as a Catholic
Bishop, with a responsibility to safeguard doctrine and morals,
and to care for the well-being of the Catholic children and parents
of this great Diocese of ours. One of the fundamental responsibilities
of a Catholic Bishop in the current climate is to protect and
defend the sacrament of marriage. My insistence that Catholic
Caring Services cannot have an 'Open Policy', that includes
'same sex' partnerships, rests on the fact that children develop
and thrive best in the context of marriage. The Church's teaching
on marriage rests on Jesus' re-iteration of His Father's revelation
in Genesis, 'Have you not read that the Creator from the beginning
made them male and female and that He said to them: This is
why a man leaves his father and mother and becomes attached to
his wife, and the two become one flesh. (Matthew 19:4-5; cf.
Genesis 2:24).
It is God's intention that children are nurtured and raised by
a loving father and mother, who become role models to boys and
girls about what it means to be a husband and wife, a mother and
a father. That this is seen as an unrealistic ideal by some in
politics and the media shows how far our society has distorted
morality. If Catholic Caring Services truly hold that the
needs of children are paramount it would do whatever possible
to ensure that a child is placed with a father and a mother.
Whatever devalues marriage and the fundamental importance of a
child having a mother and a father must be resisted by all Catholics
and people of good will, because not only is the good of the child
put at risk, but also the good of society. This does not mean
that I do not value the love, devotion and self-sacrifice of single
parents, but it is also my duty to safeguard the ideal of marriage,
particularly when it is under such sustained attack.
Consequences of the Trustees' decision
I would want to make it clear that the new charity is no longer
a Catholic charity and can no longer operate as an agency in the
name of the Catholic Church of this Diocese (cf. Canon 300; cf.
216). As a direct consequence of the Trustees' decision, it is
with great sadness that the Diocese will now begin the process
of implementing the actions that I outlined in my letter of 5
October 2008:
a) The Charity Commission will be informed by the Diocese
that the Trustees of Catholic Caring Services are no longer
prepared to act in accordance with
Catholic moral teaching and for that reason Catholic Caring
Services is no longer regarded by the Church as being a Charity
acting in the name of the Catholic Church.
b) The Trustees must now approach the Charity Commission
to ask their approval of the name change from Catholic Caring
Services to Caritas Care. They must also change the
Objects of Catholic Caring Services, removing the reference
to "the Roman Catholic Church both in this diocese of Lancaster
and elsewhere in the United Kingdom". It will be up to the
Charity Commission to decide whether the Trustees of Catholic
Caring Services are lawfully entitled to make such changes.
c) With deep sadness I must declare that all churches,
parishes, schools and other Catholic organisations or societies
are to have no formal associations with Catholic Caring Services
and the new charity is no longer entitled to have access to
Diocesan Collections - The Good Shepherd (Bishop's Fund), or the
Christmas Crib collections.
d) With regard to the properties in the ownership of the
Diocesan Trustees, but currently occupied by Catholic Caring
Services including Tulketh Rd, Wellington Rd and Marian
House, Beech Grove (all in Preston) it will be now be necessary
for the Diocesan Trustees to conduct a review of the terms of
the leases to determine:
i) whether there is any potential breach of the terms of
occupation
ii) whether the new charity's responsibilities are within
our Memorandum and the Articles of Association.
e) The Diocese will, of course, now need to review the
receipt and usage of past and future legacies and/or bequests
made in favour of Catholic Caring Services and determine
whether it is appropriate for any past legacies and/or bequests
to be repaid to the diocese or future legacies/bequests to be
retained by the Diocese.
It pains me beyond measure to make the above decisions, and certainly,
I have done everything in my power to prevent this tragic rejection
of the Church's moral teaching.
Catholics must follow the teaching of the Church
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has
stated that allowing children to be adopted by persons in homosexual
unions is gravely immoral. (CDF, Considerations Regarding Proposals
to Give Legal Recognition to Unions between Homosexual Persons.
2003). All Catholics have a clear obligation to abide by the moral
teaching of the Church. If, in conscience, they decide that they
cannot follow the Church's teaching they should resign as
a matter of integrity from any position of authority they
hold in the Church or an agency of the Church.
In my judgement the Government is imposing a great injustice on
the Catholics of this country by forcing Catholic social agencies
to choose between co-operating or not cooperating with acts that
are gravely immoral. It is a violation of our consciences and
our religious freedom.
Though I accept that the Trustees of Catholic Caring Services
have been faced with a difficult decision, I cannot accept
their unwillingness to challenge this unjust law. It is this unwillingness
that has left me with no choice but to make this painful decision.
Though Catholic Caring Services are involved in a whole
range of valuable work with the disabled, the disadvantaged and
the marginalised, how can I allow the Catholic Church to be associated
with a body that has chosen a path that co-operates with actions
that are against the explicit moral teaching of the Church?
Renewing our commitment to social caring
Now the diocese is faced with a pressing challenge and opportunity,
because Catholic Caring Service's decision to break with
the teaching of the Church does not mean that the Diocese of Lancaster
is abandoning our work with the disabled, the disadvantaged, and
the marginalised. Furthermore, I am determined that we will continue
to support the marvellous commitment of parents who adopt children.
As we look confidently to the future there are three positive
and practical steps to take which I would recommend for immediate
action:
1. The formation of a new Diocesan Adoption/Fostering Support
Service with the task of positively encouraging and canvassing
married couples to adopt/foster. The offer of help, pre-and post
adoption, will also be in this brief. The funding of this Service
will come from the Christmas Crib, Good Shepherd and
other Collections etc.
2. The Diocese will take steps to increase its engagement
with individuals, groups and organisations (i.e. SVP) in
establishing a systematic programme of active social care in all
of our parishes and deaneries. I know, too, that much is being
done in this field already.
3. The Diocese will set up a Social Care Commission to
develop and facilitate increased support at parish-level for all
involved in the care of the vulnerable, especially children wherever
they may be. They are truly the caring face of the Church! The
immediate priority for the new Social Care Commission will be
the establishment and oversight of the Diocese's new Adoption/Fostering
Support Service. Please do all you can to strongly support the
Crib Collection in your parish this Christmas and send the proceeds
marked 'Adoption Support Service' directly to:
Mr Paul Ryan,
The Diocesan Finance Office,
The Pastoral Centre,
Balmoral Road
Lancaster,
LA1 3BT
The money that people donate to this collection will be used to
help improve the lives of vulnerable children and a sign, too,
of support for the Diocese and its Bishops in their decision.
I would like to thank those members of the clergy and laity who
have supported and advised me during some of the most difficult
months of my episcopacy, including social work professionals,
moral theologians and lawyers. I would also like to thank all
who have offered their prayers for the resolution of this crisis.
Please continue praying for the success of the work ahead of us.
With every good wish and prayer this Christmas,
As ever in Christ,
+Patrick O'Donoghue
Bishop of Lancaster