News from RCCLGCM

Of fourteen Catholic adoption agencies, eleven continue to provide adoption services without seeking any form of exemption or exception to the prohibition on discrimination against same sex couples under the Sexual Orientation Regulations. Of the three agencies who attempted to secure approval to change their charitable objects in such a way as to take advantage of a perceived exception to the SORs, two (Westminster and Birmingham) have withdrawn from legal proceedings in relation to the proposed amendments.    In a recent application  before the High Court, only Catholic Care, the Leeds agency, took part in the proceedings. 

Catholic Care won the right to have their requested amendment to the objects of the charity to be referred back to the Charity Commissioners for consideration.  Although this represents a  victory for Catholic Care, the Charity Commissioners have yet to announce whether they will approve the change of objects. 

Certain members of the Caucus have written to the Charity Commissioners requesting that they consider arguments against the proposed amendment to the charity's objects.    [Read the full text of the letter here]. 

We urge members of the Caucus to contact any member of the Steering Committee if they wish to make known any views on this matter which could usefully be raised with the Charity Commissioners in relation to this issue.