1,500 Children in Limbo, but the Commonwealth Turns Away Faith-Driven Parents
You’d think that Massachusetts, a state that regularly boasts about its commitment to diversity and tolerance, would want nothing better than to place foster children into a home that emphatically embraces, “Children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb, a reward.” (Psalm 127:3)
But oh, how wrong you’d be!
Meet Mike and Kitty Burke, a devout Catholic couple. Mike’s an Iraq war veteran and Kitty, well, she’s dedicated her life to helping special needs children. They seem like the dream pair to adopt, right?
But the state thinks otherwise.
Here’s the kicker: Massachusetts, with its liberal elite, is in the midst of a foster care crisis. They have children – over 1,500 of them, mind you – literally sleeping in hospitals because there’s no home for them.
And in the middle of this crisis, the state has the audacity, the sheer gall, to deny a loving home to these children? Why? Because Mike and Kitty hold religious beliefs about traditional marriage and sexuality.
The Burkes underwent rigorous training, opened their home for inspections, and faced intrusive interviews. They even affirmed that they would love and care for any child, regardless of their sexuality or gender struggles.
But that wasn’t good enough for the Commonwealth! So, with the help of the non-profit Becket Law firm, the Burkes sued the Commonwealth.
According to the court filing, the state’s Western Regional DCF’s License Review Team made these damning remarks about the Burkes:
“The couple expressed that they are not open to gender affirming care and believe that partnership outside of heterosexual relationships is a sin. They are heavily involved in their Catholic Church and cite their religious views as the primary reason for seeing LGBTQIA++ individuals this way.”
In other words, they were told, point blank, that their ‘faith is not supportive.’ Now, tell me, when did the Christian faith become a litmus test for denying foster children the comfort of being placed in a married couple’s home?
Let’s get real. The same state that can’t provide for its most vulnerable citizens now wants to play thought police, punishing citizens for not toeing the progressive line.
It’s absurd!
And it’s not just an attack on the Burkes – it’s an attack on religious freedom everywhere. It’s a dire warning to every person of faith in America: conform or be cast out.
And just to drive the point home, let’s remember that the same legal team now representing the Burkes represented a Catholic agency in Fulton v. Philadelphia. In this case, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of an adoption agency’s right to operate according to its religious beliefs.
It seems Massachusetts didn’t get the memo.
Massachusetts, with all its talk of inclusivity and diversity, ought to be ashamed. They have failed the Burkes and every child waiting for a loving home.
The question remains: Will the state continue down this path of intolerance, or will they finally put the needs of children first?
