In Burke v. Walsh, Mike and Kitty Burke wanted to foster and someday adopt children in need of a family. Even though Massachusetts has a foster care crisis, state officials refused to let the Burkes foster any children in the state.

The reason was their religious beliefs about marriage, sexuality, and gender. With the help of Becket, the Burkes are asking the court to ensure that qualified families no longer suffer for their religious beliefs and that vulnerable children are given a loving home.

They just won their fist battle in court, according to Sam Whiting an attorney with the Massachusetts Family Institute.

Things can often seem bleak for religious liberty here in Massachusetts. But every so often, we hear about victories that shine light into the darkness and remind us that freedom can be preserved and restored, even here.

Just yesterday, we learned that a Massachusetts federal judge issued an order refusing to dismiss a case brought by a Catholic husband and wife after they were denied the ability to foster children due to their beliefs. This is a major win that is likely to have significant implications for Christian families in the Commonwealth and beyond.

Last year, Mike and Kitty Burke, a devout Catholic couple who felt called by God to foster children in need, applied to become foster parents in Massachusetts. The Burkes underwent extensive training, interviews, and a home study, and passed with flying colors. But even though the Massachusetts foster system is severely overburdened, to the point that the State has resorted to housing children in hospitals for weeks on end, Mike and Kitty were denied the opportunity to foster for one simple reason: their faith. The Department of Children and Families (DCF) ultimately determined that their Catholic beliefs would prevent them from being "affirming" toward LGBT children, so they could not be trusted to foster.