Letter from Seán Morrissey to Monsignor John O'Grady¹ (Washington DC)
(Copy)

I wonder if I might intrude on you in regard to a matter concerning our general procedure governing adoptions which has recently been brought to our notice. It has been represented to the Department that some of the Diocesan Agencies of the Catholic Charities Organisation are not licensed under their local State laws to deal with adoptions and that ‘home study’ reports, etc. supplied by such Agencies in the initial stages in arrangement with the Adoption Societies in this country are not acceptable for the subsequent legal adoption proceedings in the American Courts. Cases of this kind, we are informed, have recently caused some difficulties in the State of California.

We had always understood that all Agencies of the Catholic Charities Organisation were approved and registered to comply with State legislation but this apparently is not the case. It is appreciated that the number of unregistered Agencies may be small but, even so, it would be undesirable I fear to have any further ‘adoption’ arrangements made through them. I am accordingly writing to enquire whether your Office would be able to make available to us a list of these unregistered Agencies, which we could put at the disposal of the interested Societies in this country. I appreciate that this information, which has prompted us to raise this question with you, may have arisen from some misconception of varying practices in different States and for that reason we should greatly appreciate having any clarification of the position generally, which your Office would be in a position to furnish. It is not clear to us, for example, by what method internal Catholic adoptions (i.e. of American children) are arranged in the initial stages in those areas, in which only unregistered Agencies of Catholic Charities are in existence.

Another matter not directly related to the foregoing but which I should like to take this opportunity of raising with you is the difficulty, which Societies in this country, are encountering rather frequently nowadays in obtaining ‘home study’ reports even in areas where registered Agencies of Catholic Charities are operating. There appears in fact to be a good deal of confusion as to what Agencies are prepared to co-operate with Societies in this country in arranging external adoptions. As you know, this Department will not grant a passport for any ‘adoptive’ case proceeding to an area in which there is an Agency of Catholic Charities, unless the arrangements (preparation of ‘home study’ report, etc.) are handled by that Agency. It appears, however, that there are areas, where Agencies for their own good reasons, as I fully appreciate, are not prepared to co-operate in arranging external ‘adoptions’. We do not have details of these areas and Agencies and our lack of definite information causes a certain amount of confusion.

It is not uncommon, to quote one example of the difficulties which are arising from this situation, for prospective Catholic adoptive parents in those areas to resort to other welfare bodies or independent case workers, when they are unable to get the services of the local Catholic Charities Agency. Cases of this kind are often at an advanced stage before an opportunity arises of informing the people concerned that the documents are not acceptable and that the proposed ‘adoption’ will not be given passport clearance. Frequently, as a result of these refusals, we are submitted to pressure from all kinds of people for exceptional treatment of particular cases, which of course we cannot accede to, although it is impossible not to have a good deal of sympathy for these people. The disappointment and expense, however, to which they are submitted could be avoided if the Societies in this country were in a position to put matters right in the first instance, when the negotiations for an ‘adoption’ are beginning. The weakness in the present situation lies in the fact that the Societies do not themselves apparently know what particular Agencies of the Catholic Charities are unable under their local policy to co-operate with them. Here again it would be very desirable to have the Societies provided with a detailed list which would make the position clear for them and save them embarking on ‘adoption’ arrangements, which cannot be approved by this Department. If your Office would be so good as to supply such a list, I am certain it would clear up the present confusion.

I am sorry to have to trouble you with such a lengthy letter but we are somewhat unhappy about the points which I mention and I would like to assure you that we shall be extremely grateful for any assistance, which you may be able to give us in resolving these difficulties.