Joseph Reyes, the father embroiled in a divorce and custody case that has turned in to a religious battle, will not be allowed to take his daughter to Catholic Mass on Easter Sunday, a Cook County judge ruled today.
In denying Reyes’ request during the close of divorce proceedings, Judge Renee Goldfarb was merely upholding a temporary restraining order that says the father can’t expose his 3-year-old daughter to any other religion than the Jewish faith.
At issue is a disputed agreement that the one-time couple would raise the girl in the Jewish faith.
But after Joseph Reyes’ had the child baptized in the Catholic church last November — and emailed photos of the event to the girl’s mother, Rebecca Reyes — the case has mushroomed in to a battle over religion. And it’s grabbed national headlines.
During weeks of hearings, the two sides agreed the child may make a choice about which religion she’d like to practice.
“How can Ela choose if she’s not exposed to a number of different religions?” attorney Joel Brodsky said.
Laura Ashmore, the mother’s attorney, told the judge it’s one thing to expose the child to different religions, but said Joseph Reyes wants “total immersion” —referring to the sacrament of baptism, something that could be confusing or even hurtful to the child who is now in a Jewish pre-school.
The defense team has argued that the differences between the faiths are already confusing and possibly damaging the girl.
The judge is expected to issue a final ruling regarding the girl’s custody — and possibly including a resolution on the religious questions — next month.
In denying Reyes’ request during the close of divorce proceedings, Judge Renee Goldfarb was merely upholding a temporary restraining order that says the father can’t expose his 3-year-old daughter to any other religion than the Jewish faith.
At issue is a disputed agreement that the one-time couple would raise the girl in the Jewish faith.
But after Joseph Reyes’ had the child baptized in the Catholic church last November — and emailed photos of the event to the girl’s mother, Rebecca Reyes — the case has mushroomed in to a battle over religion. And it’s grabbed national headlines.
During weeks of hearings, the two sides agreed the child may make a choice about which religion she’d like to practice.
“How can Ela choose if she’s not exposed to a number of different religions?” attorney Joel Brodsky said.
Laura Ashmore, the mother’s attorney, told the judge it’s one thing to expose the child to different religions, but said Joseph Reyes wants “total immersion” —referring to the sacrament of baptism, something that could be confusing or even hurtful to the child who is now in a Jewish pre-school.
The defense team has argued that the differences between the faiths are already confusing and possibly damaging the girl.
The judge is expected to issue a final ruling regarding the girl’s custody — and possibly including a resolution on the religious questions — next month.
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