In a shocking turn of events, Massachusetts is denying foster applications from devout Catholic’s Mike and Kitty Burke, citing their “traditional” beliefs on gender, sexuality, and marriage. The couple has filed a federal lawsuit against the state’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) over this blatant violation of religious liberty.
Massachusetts foster care authorities wrongly denied a Catholic couple approval to become foster parents because they hold to Catholic teaching on marriage, sex, and gender, a lawsuit against state officials and the state foster system charges.https://t.co/9ApCOFs343
— Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) August 9, 2023
The Burkes were “shocked” when they first learned why their application was denied. Discussing the issue on Fox News’s “The Story,” Kitty said DCF listed only one reason for denying their application – that they “would not be affirming to a child who identified as LGBTQIA.” Mike added that he was told that they would not be permitted to foster a child because they “didn’t follow the ‘LGBTQ+ policies of the state.'”
Kitty also noted that this case represents a larger problem surrounding the state’s allowance to decline issuing foster licenses to religious applicants.
She stated: “We believe the reason we were rejected is because we were very vocal in the fact that we are practicing Catholics, very traditional Catholics, and we stand firm in the church’s beliefs on traditional marriage and sexuality.”
If you are a #CATHOLIC and live in #Massachusetts and you want to be #Foster #Parents, “forget about it”????#MA couple denied “Foster Care” application for “Religious Beliefs” ????
Yes #Massachusetts, the revered home of the “Kennedy Family” … and yes they are all CATHOLICS‼️???? pic.twitter.com/9jil5ujsL8— Terry (@RowseTerry) August 17, 2023
Additionally, Mike argued that if he had a child who wanted to identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, he would still love them unconditionally – regardless of his religious beliefs. In other words, these restrictions are compromising religious liberty by punishing individuals based solely on their faith-based views.
Lori Windham, attorney for Mike and Kitty Burke also weighed in on this matter noting how Massachusetts can’t afford to exclude faithful families from fostering during such an unprecedented crisis – considering there is already an extreme shortage of available homes due to COVID-19.
As she pointed out: “Massachusetts has a shortage of loving homes to welcome, foster and adopted children…What’s so disturbing about this is they [if] are excluding faithful Catholics like Mike and Kitty….when they have so many children who are in need of homes right now.”
Catholic Couple in Massachusetts Denied Foster Care Application | Compare reporting by @Deseret @NBCNews @nypost https://t.co/FKGEbbLI0P pic.twitter.com/8XUjlFnXca
— AllSides (@AllSidesNow) August 11, 2023
Mike and Kitty Burke’s case highlights what could potentially happen when government agencies prioritize political correctness over protecting people’s basic right to freedom of religion.
This injustice must not go unpunished; otherwise, it will set precedence for other similar cases where genuine families with good intentions may once again lose out due to no fault but theirs – having different views than those accepted by society today!
