Catholic Charities New Jersey

It's time for adoptees to learn the truth

The New Jersey Catholic Conference of Bishops, using its website and emails, has alerted its church members to call Gov. Chris Christie and ask him to veto A 1406/S 799, a bill that will give adopted adults access to their original birth certificates. The Bishops claim that promises were made and should be kept.

It's time to tell the truth. The vast majority of birth mothers were never promised anything; rather they reluctantly agreed to stay out of their child's life. Ninety percent of Catholic birth mothers are open to contact with the child they relinquished for adoption. If this bill becomes law, the other 10 percent can request that the Registrar of Vital Records withhold their name, if that is what they desire.

Then why do the bishops want to keep secrets that the overwhelming majority of birth mothers never asked for? Could they be more worried about the fathers than they are the mothers? Men whose names almost never appear on the birth certificates?

The bishops claim that assurances were given to protect the privacy of birth mothers from public disclosure. Allowing an adoptee to have his or her birth certificate does not open family business to the public. It only gives information to the one person who has a right to know it.

The overwhelming number of adoptions occurring in New Jersey are not handled by Catholic Charities. In fact, the majority of adoptions are stepparent and relative adoptions. The second largest group is adoptions by foster parents. Both of these groups already know the identity of the birth parents. There is no need to keep these adoptees from their own original birth certificate. Private adoptions are only about 10 percent of New Jersey adoptions, and only a small portion of those are from Catholic Social Services.

Why should the bishops have such a mammoth impact on this bill when the number of adoptions they did last year is less than 10?

The alternative bill championed by the Catholic bishops has no significant support in the state Legislature. It was created as a stumbling block to A 1406/S 799. It will not be considered by this Legislature. Despite the bishops' opposition, the Legislature had the wisdom to pass A 1406/S 799. The governor should be as wise.

Mary L.

Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans is an umbrella agency with 43 programs and 3 affiliated ministries delivering health and human services to the poor and vulnerable. Catholic Charities services are rooted in the 8 civil parishes of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, with food and nutrition services benefitting the entire state of Louisiana. Catholic Charities serves the homeless, hungry, the elderly, at-risk youth, pregnant women, individuals with developmental delays, and many more. For more information, please visit Vice President, Health Ministry - In collaboration and coordination with the Medical Director, this individual is responsible for all Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans health services, including clinical counseling, inpatient and outpatient treatment programs, community-based crisis counseling, and services for the developmentally disabled.  The ideal candidate will have the ability to enhance existing health ministries and benchmark against national best practice models in service and business function.  Direct the execution of a comprehensive strategic plan for health services with a focus on Catholic identity and mission integration.  Pursue national, regional and local funding for existing programs and new initiatives.  Collaborate with other Catholic Charities ministries, Archdiocesan offices, church parishes and community partners in the delivery of services to the poor and vulnerable.  Qualified candidates will have at least 10 years management experience in health care and a Masters degree or equivalent professional accomplishments.  The candidate must possess the leadership skills to direct and oversee a diverse array of programs and services critical to our community’s future and have a successful public and private fundraising track record.  Must be a person of strong faith, committed to the social justice mission of the Catholic Church.

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