In 2016, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, then-President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, issued an apology for historical practices of adoption, acknowledging “the grief and pain caused by the giving up of a child through adoption.”
In 2016, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, then-President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, issued the following statement:
The Catholic Church understands and acknowledges the grief and pain caused by the giving up of a child through adoption. Government adoption policy in the post war years reflected the social values of our society at that time. Sadly, for unmarried mothers adoption was considered to be in the best interests of the mother and child because of the associated stigma and the lack of support for lone parents. The practices of all adoption agencies, whether religious, charitable or state, reflected these attitudes and were sometimes lacking in care and sensitivity. We apologise for the hurt caused by agencies acting in the name of the Catholic Church.
Today our agencies provide high quality advice, support and follow up to adopted adults, adoptive parents and birth families. Should you be affected by these issues please contact the relevant adoption agency.
This apology still stands. The Church and Catholic organisations that are providing post adoption support continue to reflect on how we respond in sensitive and meaningful ways to those mothers and children affected.
