by Nirmala Carvalho

From 1 August orphanages run by the Missionaries of Charity have blocked practices. Sister Bressila: "But we will continue to take care of children, following the mission of Mother Teresa." Card. Toppo: "Children are not objects, each of them is a precious gift from God. The sisters want to make sure that children grow up in a good family environment and have a joyful future - just as they would with biological parents."

Mumbai (AsiaNews) - The Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by Mother Teresa, have decided to block the documents for adoption in 15 orphanages in India, as a protest against the new government guidelines that allow adoption by singles or couples divorced.

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".

• india
• mother
• teresa
• adoptions
• children
• family