catholic charities

Welcome to the Search and Reunion Message Board! In most states you can only get the original birth certificate if a) the state has an "open records" policy or b) if you can successfully petition the court of adoption to open your sealed adoption file and obtain the contents of the file. The decision is not up to the adoption agency but is the decision of the court of jurisdiction where the adoption was finalized. Often children that were relinquished for adoption spent some time in a foster home before the adoption agency placed them with the adoptive family. The time spent in foster care varied from agency to agency and state to state. California Search Website: Other great websites to check out: [url]http://www.adoptionchat.com[/url] [url]http://www.adoptionlists.com[/url] [url]http://www.adoption.com[/url] [url]http://www.adopting.org[/url] [url]http://www.adoptionregistry.com[/url]

is there anyone else adoped thru catholic charities in MA? Please help me. Are my parents telling the truth when they say I never had a birth name/ original birth certificate / bparent name. etc.....

There were some situations where when an agency was not involved that a birthmother entered the hospital under the adoptive mothers name and only one birth certificate was issued...with the child's adopted name and the names of the adoptive parents. When this happened there was not an original birth certificate with the names of the birth parents and then an amended birth certificate with the names of the adoptive parents. Only one certificate was issued and the names of the birth parents does not show up. This would not be your case if Catholic Charities handled the adoption. You should have an original and an amended birth certificate. The original would be sealed by the courts at the time of adoption. SEARCHING RESOURCES IN MASSACHUSETTS: Contact Catholic Charities for information from your adoption file that will help you with your search. INFORMATION THAT IS AVAILABLE IN YOUR STATE: Non-identifying informationӔ is information from your adoption file about your birth parents. It generally includes ages, marital status, states of birth, education, religion, occupations and a physical description of your birth parents. Mutual Consent RegistryӔ is a registry where adoptees and birth parents can register the adoption information. If both parties register normally the agency responsible for the registry will notify both parties that consent has been given to contact each other. Contact this office: Adoption Search Coordinator Massachusetts Department of Social Service 24 Farnsworth Street Boston, MA 02210 (617) 748-2240 Colleen Buckner The Search Guru [url]http://www.adoptionforums.com[/url] [url]http://www.adoptionchat.com[/url] [url]http://www.adoptionlists.com[/url] [url]http://www.adoption.com[/url] [url]http://www.adopting.org[/url] [url]http://www.adoptionregistry.com[/url]

>Are my parents telling the truth when they say I never had a birth name/ original birth certificate / bparent name. etc I relinquished through Catholic Charities in Miami in 1965. I did not name my son.. I did not think I had the right.. You can get your non identifying information from your agency. All you have to do is call or write and ask for it. I got lots of good information about my bson years before he found me. I was able to type up that information when he found me on the net.. We knew we had a match when I typed up the information I had about his aparents.. If you can't talk with a real person send your letter registered.. This is your right.. Your birth mom or dad may be waiting to hear from you. Jackie

>and we stay in the hospital for 2 >months until the adoption takes place? Woops I missed the other question. In Florida my son went to a foster home for two or three months.. The woman that cared for my son took care of babies only.. That was the law back then. So I have a feeling you went into a foster home.. Jackie

I posted earlier in the thread that I lived briefly in a Catholic maternity home before leaving and placing my child instead through a private agency. Besides the reasons I previously posted, a couple of other reasons I decided against placing my child through Catholic Charities is that open adoption was not a choice that was available through the Catholic maternity home (this was in 1989, things may have changed since then) and I was not interested in placing my child in a closed adoption, and also, as mentioned KTL122981's post, I was informed that my child would not go home from the hospital with the adoptive parents, but would instead go to a foster home for a period of time (I don't remember how long they said my child would remain in foster care... three weeks, a month, six weeks... something like that). I didn't like the sound of this at all; I wanted my baby to go straight from the hospital to his new home, so he could begin bonding with his adoptive parents immediately. But CC told me this period in foster care was "mandatory" and that their regulations required it. Beyond that, they were able to give me no satisfactory explanation for this policy. It certainly has nothing to do with State law... after I left and placed my child through another agency, my son went home with his adoptive parents two days after his birth. I can't imagine why CC wants babies in foster homes prior to adoptions, but I've always wondered what that policy is all about. ~Sharon

my birthcertificate states my b-day, but on the copy my adoptive parents gave me it shows the adoption date 2 months later. There must be an original out there somewhere, right?? I know someone who was also adopted thru cath char and they have their original birthcertificate w/ first, middle and last name. thank you all for helping me

Hi, I too was adopted through the Catholic Charities ( in 1963, Lowell, MA). From what I've heard, they did a lot of things to protect the birthmother. In my case, they told my parents a totally different story from the truth. I was told all my life that my birthmother was 16. In fact, she was 37!! Have you gone to Catholic Charities to get a report? That is how I started my search. In addition, a friend got my name from some records in Boston, MA. I can find out the details if you want. After getting the report from Catholic Charities, I petitioned the courts (had to go into Boston for the morning) and they gave me my original birth certificate with my birthmother's name. We were reunited about a month ago and have a great relationship (we talk every day!) Collette

You seem panicky, which I can understand. But remain calm. Trust your parents that they would not lie to you. Many parents, including mine, do not know anything other than non-identifying information about the birth parents of children they adopt. It's called closed adoption, where all records are sealed in an effort to protect the indentities of those involved. You do indeed have an original birth certificate. Everyone who is adopted has an original birth certificate. In most states, to get this original certificate, you have to go through a series of steps. You may have to get a lawyer, you may have to file a petition with the court. I'm not sure where you are from or what state your adoption occured in. There is a wealth of resources for you available here and on the web to help you with your search. You are not alone. I understand completely what you are going through. I started the search for my birth parents in January and the state is searching for them. I had to file a petition to the court for my original records to be released to me, and the state charges a fee of $150 for the search. Seems like a lot of money to some, but to me it'll be the best $150 I've ever spent. Find out what the laws and procedures are in your state and go for it!