Catholic trafficking victims’ shelter shuttered for opposing homosexuality, sues state

[redleghunter]

Catholic trafficking victims’ shelter shuttered for opposing homosexuality, sues state


SAN DIEGO, California, November 20, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) — Children of the Immaculate Heart (CIH), a religious charity that helps women escape from sex trafficking, filed a lawsuit today seeking to end a State of California mandate that is leaving a rescue home for commercially sexually exploited teen girls empty while San Diego County experiences a child sex-trafficking crisis. In Children of the Immaculate Heart v. Kimberley Johnson, et al., the issue is whether religious caretaking organizations can serve victims of sex trafficking consistent with their faith.

The lawsuit demands that the State’s Department of Social Services, which regulates California’s foster care system, answer for its ongoing refusal to issue CIH a license to open the Refuge, a residential treatment home for sex-trafficked teen girls (see video). Licensing officials have made it clear that they find CIH’s Catholic identity “offensive” and that they disagree with the charity’s religious beliefs about sexual orientation and reproduction.


The Refuge has been sitting empty for over two years. Evidence shows that licensing officials are stonewalling the Refuge’s application to force CIH to either withdraw the application under economic duress or sacrifice its religious beliefs. CIH currently spends $15K per month to maintain the Refuge and has spent nearly $600K total since 2015.

“Right now, a desperately needed rescue home for sex-trafficked girls sits empty because the government refuses to license a care provider with Catholic beliefs,” said Paul Jonna, senior counsel for the Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund. “Every child who is at risk of sex trafficking deserves a safe place with loving caretakers. Charitable agencies that help rescue children from sex trafficking should be protected, not excluded for their faith.”

Licensing officials have demanded that CIH certifies that it will promote LGBTQ events, drive residents to get abortions, and inject children with transgender hormone medications. CIH does not object to a child’s access to such programs, activities, or actions, but it objects to cooperating in them.

More at the link: Catholic trafficking victims’ shelter shuttered for opposing homosexuality, sues state

 

[anna ~ grace]

This is terrible. Prayers!

 

[redleghunter]

This is terrible. Prayers!

This is exactly what Mayor Pete and the 2020 Democratic Party presidential field is promoting.

 

[anna ~ grace]

This is exactly what Mayor Pete and the 2020 Democratic Party presidential field is promoting.

Thank you for that info; that's good to know. Terrible.

 

[archer75]

I wish this would turn out to be a fabrication, but I guess wishing doesn't work so well.

 

[IceJad]

When politics overwrite common human decency. What happened to separation of Church and State? Oh I forget, it only goes one way - the State's

 

[anna ~ grace]

So, in the meantime, these young women can continue to be exploited and treated like garbage until a group of Catholic nuns caves in to leftist rhetoric on what is good and bad. Ridiculous.

A 13 year old trafficked girl being beaten and abused is ok, compared to having her safe and warm with a group of NUNS who reject abortion and gender reassignment surgery as ethical or wholesome options. Wow... God have mercy on this country, on CIH, and on the women and girls they're wanting to help.

 

[redleghunter]

I wish this would turn out to be a fabrication, but I guess wishing doesn't work so well.

This is what you get with the politics and bullying of the left.

 

[IceJad]

This reminds me of the passages from Isaiah 5 18-20.

18 Woe to those who drag their sins behind them like a bullock on a rope. 19 They even mock the Holy One of Israel and dare the Lord to punish them. “Hurry up and punish us, O Lord,” they say. “We want to see what you can do!” 20 They say that what is right is wrong and what is wrong is right; that black is white and white is black; bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.

 

[redleghunter]

This reminds me of the passages from Isaiah 5 18-20.

18 Woe to those who drag their sins behind them like a bullock on a rope. 19 They even mock the Holy One of Israel and dare the Lord to punish them. “Hurry up and punish us, O Lord,” they say. “We want to see what you can do!” 20 They say that what is right is wrong and what is wrong is right; that black is white and white is black; bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.

Strong delusion comes to mind.


And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: (2 Thessalonians 2:11)

 

[redleghunter]

More:


Children of the Immaculate Heart sues California over licensing shelter

 

[IceJad]

"The state agency regulating California’s foster care denied a license because it found the group’s Catholic faith “offensive,” according to a 36-page complaint filed this week in state court."

Wow just wow. If I'm CIH I'm suing just for the state's assessment of the group's doctrines.

 

[joshua 1 9]

The Refuge has been sitting empty for over two years.

Why would they need to depend on the government for funding? Catholics should be able to provide their own funding for this. Sounds like they were looking to cash in on the gravy train of government money available to take care of foster children.

 

[redleghunter]

Why would they need to depend on the government for funding? Catholics should be able to provide for their own funding for this.

Where in the article did it say they needed government funding?

 

[joshua 1 9]

Where in the article did it say they needed government funding?

"The state agency regulating California’s foster care". Foster care pays very good. They do have high standards though and they are quick to reject people that apply to be Foster care providers. Sounds like this was going to be more of a group home and they would prefer to get the Foster children into private homes. My aunt was a social worker in Saint Lewis and my wife actually has her degree in that, although she is not licensed.

 

[IceJad]

"The state agency regulating California’s foster care". Foster care pays very good. They do have high standards though and they are quick to reject people that apply to be Foster care providers. Sounds like this was going to be more of a group home and they would prefer to get the Foster children into private homes. My aunt was a social worker in Saint Lewis and my wife actually has her degree in that, although she is not licensed.

I think you misread the news. CIH is waiting for operating license not funding. In fact they have been forking out $15K a month to maintain the location.

 

[redleghunter]

"The state agency regulating California’s foster care". Foster care pays very good. They do have high standards though and they are quick to reject people that apply to be Foster care providers. Sounds like this was going to be more of a group home and they would prefer to get the Foster children into private homes. My aunt was a social worker in Saint Lewis and my wife actually has her degree in that, although she is not licensed.

Joshua what does this have to do with the article. The Catholic order is flipping the entire bill. They can’t get state approval because of their Catholic faith moral beliefs.

You made this out to be about funding from the state.

 

[joshua 1 9]

I think you misread the news. CIH is waiting for operating license not funding.

This is from their web site: "Children of the Immaculate Heart (CIH) is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation operating in San Diego, CA. Our Mission is to serve survivors of human trafficking and open the door to their restoration in Jesus Christ. We currently have a housing and rehabilitation program for adult women who are survivors of trafficking and have children. We are also in the process of opening a residential treatment facility for minors who are survivors of human trafficking." They are already working with adults, they can not get approved to work with children.

According to their law suit: "Since submitting its licensing application in June 2018, CIH has repeatedly asked the Department to either license the Refuge or explain definitively why it will not. The Department has done neither." According to the article above: "Licensing officials have made it clear that they find CIH’s Catholic identity “offensive” and that they disagree with the charity’s religious beliefs about sexual orientation and reproduction."

Looks like we have a contradiction here. The idea that they are being persecuted for religious reasons appears to be speculation on their part.

 

[joshua 1 9]

Joshua what does this have to do with the article.

Why does the article contradict the law suit?

 

[redleghunter]

Looks like we have a contradiction here. The idea that they are being persecuted for religious reasons appears to be speculation on their part.

Not when their religious beliefs are the reason for denying licensing.