No longer able to provide publicly funded foster care and adoption services unless it complies with Illinois law, Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Peoria announced last Thursday that its staff and clients would transition to a newly formed non-profit organization with no affiliation to the Roman Catholic Church.
Run by a community board, the Center for Youth and Family Solutions will take on the entire caseload of foster children from Peoria Catholic Charities starting Feb. 1.
“We commend Catholic Charities of Peoria for putting children first,” said Kendall Marlowe, spokesman for Illinois Department of Child and Family Services. “They have a proud tradition of serving children and families in need and today’s decision means that legacy lives on.”
To give the new organization time to prepare, DCFS has agreed to let Catholic Charities supervise the existing cases through Jan. 31.
Earlier this year, the state declined to renew its contracts with Catholic Charities of Joliet, Peoria, and Springfield as well as Catholic Social Services of Southern Illinois in Belleville, saying that the civil union bill demands that couples in civil unions be treated the same as married couples.
Though the contracts with Catholic Charities had been renewed virtually automatically for years, the agency told the state it would refer aspiring foster parents in civil unions to other agencies, in order to abide by Catholic teaching that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
A Sangamon County judge upheld the state’s decision to sever contracts with the agencies.
While the agencies in Joliet, Springfield and Belleville plan to appeal that decision in order to continue providing foster care, the Peoria Diocese will withdraw.
The new organization, which will have no allegiance to the church, has agreed to serve couples in civil unions, Marlowe said.
“I have a responsibility as bishop to assure that Catholic Charities operates consistently with the teachings and values of the Church,” Peoria Bishop Daniel Jenky said in a statement.
“We commend Catholic Charities of Peoria for putting children first,” said Kendall Marlowe, spokesman for Illinois Department of Child and Family Services. “They have a proud tradition of serving children and families in need and today’s decision means that legacy lives on.”
To give the new organization time to prepare, DCFS has agreed to let Catholic Charities supervise the existing cases through Jan. 31.
Earlier this year, the state declined to renew its contracts with Catholic Charities of Joliet, Peoria, and Springfield as well as Catholic Social Services of Southern Illinois in Belleville, saying that the civil union bill demands that couples in civil unions be treated the same as married couples.
Though the contracts with Catholic Charities had been renewed virtually automatically for years, the agency told the state it would refer aspiring foster parents in civil unions to other agencies, in order to abide by Catholic teaching that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
A Sangamon County judge upheld the state’s decision to sever contracts with the agencies.
While the agencies in Joliet, Springfield and Belleville plan to appeal that decision in order to continue providing foster care, the Peoria Diocese will withdraw.
The new organization, which will have no allegiance to the church, has agreed to serve couples in civil unions, Marlowe said.
“I have a responsibility as bishop to assure that Catholic Charities operates consistently with the teachings and values of the Church,” Peoria Bishop Daniel Jenky said in a statement.