BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS — The state of Massachusetts is now turning away Christians who want to open their home to children whose parents have abandoned them, according to a new report.
In a lawsuit that likely caused John Winthrop to roll over in his grave, a husband and wife claim that the Massachusetts’ Department of Children and Families (DCF) denied their application to become foster parents due to their Christian faith. The couple, Mike and Kitty Burke, filed a complaint in federal court last week, alleging that the state violated the Constitution by infringing upon their religious liberty.
“THEIR FAITH IS NOT SUPPORTIVE’
Like many couples, the Burkes pursued adoption after fertility issues prevented them from having children biologically. States require foster care certification prior to moving forward with any permanent adoption process.
Overall, the Burkes fared well during the interview process. One DCF interviewer called them “lovely people” and said they “really seem to understand adoption/foster care.”
Upon further review however, the state noted that “Mike and Kitty are devoutly Roman Catholic” and “would not be affirming to a child who identified as LGBTQIA.” Thus, the report concluded: “their faith is not supportive [of the LGBTQ paradigm] and neither are they.”
The state’s guidelines require foster families to “support and respect a child’s [latest chosen] sexual orientation or gender identity.”
PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM… CHRISTIANITY
Like beauty, “support and respect” are in the eye of the beholder. The Burkes promised to support and respect any children who entered their care, but their faith would not permit them to affirm a lie under the guise of the LGBTQ-definition of “support.”
“As faithful Catholics, the Burkes believe that all children should be loved and supported, and they would never reject a child placed in their home,” the complaint stated. “They also believe that children should not undergo procedures that attempt to change their God-given sex, and they uphold Catholic beliefs about marriage and sexuality.”
“Because of those decent and honorable beliefs, DCF decided the Burkes were not ‘affirming,’ and therefore prohibited from fostering any child in Massachusetts,” the complaint adds. “DCF is in desperate need of loving families like the Burkes—it has a yearslong shortage of foster families.”
The Burkes said in a statement: “We were absolutely devastated to learn that Massachusetts would rather children sleep in the hallways of hospitals than let us welcome children in need into our home.”
