Following a recently discovered mix-up in an adoption that occurred more than 30 years ago, officials of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton, have put forth a concerted effort to help the involved families solve the mystery.

The agency said they have since early-2008 pursued all available legal channels to resolve the case of Phil Bloete, now 33, who was placed with Catholic Charities for adoption in 1975. Through Catholic Charities’ reunification program, Bloete was reconnected in 2004 with birth father of record Ron Ryba and subsequently with birth mother Kathleen Butler. DNA testing later revealed, however, that Bloete had no biological connection to either Ryba or Butler.

The agency’s staff has worked with the families and petitioned the court in hopes of discovering how such an error may have occurred, but New Jersey law regarding adoption records has limited their progress. Francis Dolan, executive director of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton, has expressed his sympathy to the families on behalf of the organization.

"I appreciate the painful disruption this situation has created for all of those involved," Dolan said. "I share their frustration."

Adoption services have been an integral part of the Catholic Church’s efforts to promote human life and dignity for more than a century. At its peak, Catholic Charities of Trenton placed as many as 150 children with adoptive families each year and they continue to provide services to pregnant women while finding homes for children placed up for adoption.

The child of Ryba and Butler was born in Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center, Camden, in 1975 and then was scheduled to be relocated to St. Elizabeth Home, Yardville, for adoption. The home was at the time under the auspices of the Catholic Welfare Bureau and was operated by the Order of the Servants of the Holy Infancy of Jesus. The Bloete family adopted Phil from the nursery of St. Elizabeth in January of 1976.

According to Catholic Charities, there is no way to tell if the mix-up that led to Bloete being identified as the child of Ryba and Butler happened at the hospital or in St. Elizabeth, which at the time handled approximately 40-55 adoptions annually. Records from both facilities are unavailable, as Lourdes destroys all such records after a seven-year period in compliance with federal law, and the nursery at St. Elizabeth ceased operations in 1988. The facility later closed in 1994.

Catholic Charities of Trenton is licensed and regulated by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families and accredited by the National Council on Accreditation. As such, they are required to strictly follow New Jersey Department of Children and Families’ regulations, which holds adoption records confidential to protect the privacy of all parties involved.

When Ryba contacted the agency about the mistake in the spring of 2008, Catholic Charities shared with him all of the material in their files which could legally be disclosed. Although they were not legally obligated to do so, the agency also petitioned the New Jersey Superior Court for permission to release the protected information in the medical and birth files, but in September 2008 a judge denied the request to release the files in accordance with state regulations.

After exhausting all legal options, Catholic Charities officials continued to work with Ryba to help him locate his birth child. In addition to further legal action, Catholic Charities representatives said they directed him to online resources and advocacy groups that could aid him in the search for his biological son.

Several organizations within New Jersey have partnered with the Catholic Church in working toward a reform of the state’s current adoption laws. The New Jersey Catholic Bishops’ Conference has worked with the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, the State Bar Association, New Jersey Right to Life and the Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry to oppose legislation that would open adoption records, instead favoring a state-run mutual consent registry that would help to connect children with their birth parents only if the parents have expressed an interest in reunification.

In a 2008 statement, the bishops’ conference called for legislation that would allow the state or a contracted agency to search for a birth parent upon request from an adoptee for their birth certificate and to only release this information upon receiving the parent’s consent. Releasing such information without the consent of the parents, the statement said, would a be "a callous betrayal" of the parents’ privacy.

For future adoptions, the bishops’ conference recommends the state maintain a record of contact preferences for both the parents and children, with all parties having the option to change their preference at any time.

Catholic Charities, Trenton, has operated its own search and reunion program for approximately 40 years. The program is part of the organization’s ministry to not only place children with adoptive families but to provide continued support to all parties affected by the adoption process throughout their lives. The agency currently coordinates 12 to 15 reunions each year with more than 90 percent of them being reported as successful.