Printable version

Text only

Pray for children awaiting adoption, for parents seeking to adopt, for children receiving foster care, for foster parents providing care to children, and that Catholic and other faith-based organizations may have the freedom to serve all those seeking adoption and foster care services in accordance with their faith.

Reflect
The Epistle of St. James teaches that true religion is to care for the orphan and the widow.  Today, the Church puts that teaching into practice through her child welfare service organizations.  Catholic and other faith-based institutions play an absolutely vital role in serving the many children who find themselves in some of the most difficult circumstances.  Recently, the opioid crisis has put a strain on the foster care system.  Yet, at a time when we need more care providers, particularly ones that are effective at recruiting prospective foster and adoptive parents, some state and local governments have shut people of faith out, because faith-based providers seek to serve in accordance with their convictions about the nature of the family and what is best for children.  Several agencies have already had to end their child welfare services.  If this trend continues, more children and families will be affected.  

Act
The Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act (CWPIA) prevents faith-based child welfare service providers from being targeted by government discrimination.  The Act would prohibit the federal government and any state that receives certain federal funding from discriminating against child welfare service providers on the basis that they decline to provide a child welfare service that conflicts with their sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. Contact your U.S. senators and representatives today and ask them to co-sponsor and support the federal Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act!

 

Sign up for our newsletter, Free to Serve!