Missionaries of Charity to shut down orphanages opposing adoption policy

(Vatican Radio) Thirteen orphanages run by Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity may face Government de-recognition after it refused to give children up for adoption to single, divorced or separated people. It is being reported that the Missionaries of Charity itself has written to the Central Adoption Resource Authority seeking de-recognition of some of its orphanages.

Women and child development (WCD) minister Maneka Gandhi said on Thursday the charity was not complying with the adoption guidelines, leaving the government with no option but to derecognise them.

The NDA government guidelines notified by the WCD ministry in July made adoption rules more stringent. The Missionaries of Charity has refused to comply with the provisions related to adoptions by single, separated or divorced people.

The Times of India reported that in two cases, one from Bihar and one from Assam, the institution had rejected two single parents who had approached it.

There are 16 orphanages of Mother Teresa Foundation which are registered with Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA) of which 13 have written to the ministry for de-recognition.

“They have cited ideological issues with our adoption guidelines related to giving a child up for adoption to single, unwed mothers. They have their own agenda and now when they have to come under a unified secular agenda, they are refusing it,” Gandhi said.

Gandhi, however, said the Missionaries of Charity had itself written to the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), an autonomous body under the ministry that regulates adoptions, seeking de-recognition of 13 of its orphanages.

A Missionaries of Charity sister, who did not want to be identified, said, “We are stopping adoption. We have written to CARA.” But she refused to say why the charity was taking this step.

“We are trying and persuading them because they are valuable, good people and have experience. But if they do not follow the central guidelines, we will be left with no option but to derecognise the orphanages run by them and shift the children to other places,” Gandhi added.

It all started when CARA received complaints from two prospective single parents from Assam and Bihar.

“The Missionaries of Charity refused to give them children for adoption on the grounds that they were single,” said a ministry official. CARA officials then visited Kolkata to urge the organisation to follow the guidelines. “It’s the rule of the land and they will have to abide by it. We told them there is a no reason to refuse a single parent who is eligible and fulfills all conditions in the guidelines. Why deny a good home to a child where there are such a large number of children in orphanages waiting to be adopted,” CARA secretary Veerendra Mishra told HT.

Mishra said even under the old guidelines, single parents were allowed to adopt. “Parents could register with individual orphanages or adoption agencies. If the agencies did not register them, there was no way we could know. But under the new guidelines, parents have to mandatorily register with the central database where all applications are monitored. Any violation is reflected automatically,” he added.

Speaking to AsiaNews, Card. Telesphore Toppo, the Archbishop of Ranchi, said: "The Catholic Church in India has to deal with this issue guidelines. I support the sister missionaries. Children are not objects; each of them is a precious gift from God. The Missionaries of Charity are at the service of the most vulnerable and those abandoned children cannot be given to any parent. "

The congregation has always dealt with the moral and material assistance to the poor, sick and abandoned children, prostitutes, handicapped. The block on adoptions is in force since 1 August 2015, when the Nirmala Shishu Bhawans - orphanages run by nuns – blocked all adoptions.

Veerendra Mishra, secretary of the Central Authority for adoptions, told the newspaper The Indian Express that the new rules at issue are those which would allow adoption by single parents or couples where one or both spouses are divorced.

Sister Bressila told AsiaNews: "We stopped adoptions, but we will continue to follow the mission and vision of Mother Teresa. We trust in God, who will inspire us on what to do. We will continue to look after the children, but we do not accept the new rules. "

During a meeting of government ministers for the development of women and children, Maneka Gandhi, Minister for the Union said: "The work of the Missionaries is important, we are trying to convince them to reconsider." Card. Toppo adds: "The Missionaries of Mother Teresa have a rooted maternal responsibility towards children. They shall ensure that small grow up in a good family environment and have a joyful future - just as they would their biological parents. Their consciousness suggests that it is wrong to follow the rules of the government. When we accept children, we are also responsible for their future. Children are not goods. "

The cardinal concluded: "This is an important aspect of Mission of the  Church in India  and we have raise these issues  to explore all options to get these guidelines changed.  This has to be also discussed at the Family Synod, for the Mission of the Church and Family in India.  The Church has to take a stand.   In India, animals are more cared for and protected and valuable than our little vulnerable children".

(Source: Hindustan Times, AsiaNews, Times of India)