Christian adoption centres closed amid new rules letting non

NPR reported that instead of providing adoption services, the sisters will turn to special needs children within the country who are still orphaned.

The nuns decided on this voluntarily after the Missionaries of Charity headquarters in Kolkata was informed about complying with the new Guidelines Governing Adoption of Children by the federal Ministry of Women and Child Development, said an October 10 statement issued by Sunita Kumar, spokeswoman for the congregation.

The Missionaries of Charity order objects to the rules put in place this summer by the Women and Child Development Ministry, approving adoption in India by single parents, as well as those who are divorced and remarried, and setting up a system to monitor whether adoption agencies are discriminating. “They are certainly not for religious people like us”.

One of the fears of sisters in the conservative Roman Catholic order was that single parent could “turn out” to be gay or lesbian, even though adoption by homosexuals is not allowed in India.

“Our rules only allow married couples to adopt”, Sister Amala explained, saying the sisters are concerned about the moral upbringing of the children who are adopted by single individuals, rather than a mother and a father. However, it is reiterated that the new guidelines, prepared after an elaborate consultation process, have to be followed by all child care institutions involved in the process of adoption, ” it said. She has set a target of 50,000 adoptions a year. “We are trying to persuade them – they are good people”, she said.

“In case a childcare institution is not able to work as per the guidelines, it has option to transfer the children to other childcare institutions working under the Central government guidelines”, the official said.

He confirmed: “The bishops endorse the decision of the Missionaries of Charity”, and said that the Church will discuss the guidelines and potential consequences.

The Missionaries of Charity, who were founded by Mother Teresa, will continue their care for the poor and abandoned in India.

“We told them there is a no reason to refuse a single parent who is eligible and fulfills all conditions in the guidelines”. There is disgruntlement among the Christian community about the new rules, which also allow details of four to six children to be made available online for prospective parents.