The Acts of Convention

House of Deputies

The House of Deputies Committee on Committees and Commissions presented its Report #1 on Resolution D074 (Examine the Complicity of The Episcopal Church in Facilitating Forced Adoptions) and moved to refer the resolution to an interim body.

Original Text of Resolution:

(D074)

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring,

That the 80th General Convention of The Episcopal Church acknowledges the forced adoption era, which is defined as the time between the end of World War II through 1972 when single pregnant women were sequestered in maternity homes, many of which coerced them to surrender their children for adoption; run by The Episcopal Church; and be it further

Resolved, That the 80th General Convention of The Episcopal Church acknowledges the emotional and psychological pain caused by these forced adoptions, and the emotional, psychological, and sometimes, physical abuse inflicted on these mothers and their children, most of whom were forcefully isolated from family, friends and society; and be it further

Resolved, That the 80th General Convention of the Episcopal Church requests the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church appoint a working group to study the historical and current relationship of The Episcopal Church to the forced relinquishment and adoption of infants born to unwed mothers during the years between approximately 1945 to 1975, in order to achieve greater clarity on their respective role, responsibility and authority; and be it further

Resolved, That this working group investigates The Episcopal Church’s complicity, including its charitable arms’ and their roles in facilitating the forced relinquishment of infants born to unwed mothers during the aforementioned years; and that this working group be composed of bishop, clergy (priests and deacons) and lay members. The overall composition of this working group shall include women, members of LGBT community, people of color with geographical diversity and at least 5 members who are mothers of adoption loss, adult adoptees of all gender; and be it further

Resolved, That this working group works in consultation with individuals and organizations of mothers who lost infants to forced adoptions, and that the information gathering be used as the foundation for truth telling, confession, apology, repentance and reconciliation to facilitate inter-generational healing for mothers and families separated by forced adoption; and be it further

Resolved, That this working group of the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church submits its findings and recommendations to the 81st General Convention; and be it further

Resolved, That the 80th General Convention of The Episcopal Church support public policies that calls for legislatures to investigate incidents of forced adoption and to enact policies that respect the rights and dignity of mothers of adoption loss and adoptees; and be it further

Resolved, That the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance to allocate a budget of $40,000 for the implementation of this resolution and to dedicate staff resources which may include, but not limited to the staff position proposed in resolution A063 Creation of a Director of Women's Ministries.

Motion carried

Resolution referred to an interim body

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #53)