Judge Rejects Man's Request to Take Daughter to Easter Service
A Catholic man engaged in a divorce and custody dispute with his estranged Jewish wife will not be allowed to take his three-year-old daughter to a church service on Easter Sunday as the couple awaits a decision from a county judge on their case.
During the court hearing Wednesday, Joseph Reyes had asked Cook County Court Judge Renee Goldfarb if he could take his daughter, Ela, to Catholic Mass on Easter Sunday despite the court order restraining him from "exposing Ela Reyes to any other religion other than the Jewish religion" during his visitation periods.
With less than two weeks before Christians worldwide celebrate Easter, Goldfarb refused Reyes' request for an exemption, thereby maintaining the injunction imposed on Reyes last year after he had taken Ela to Queen of Martyrs Catholic Church in Evergreen Park to be baptized.
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In the petition for a temporary restraining order Reyes' estranged wife, Rebecca, claimed they always agreed to raise Ela in the Jewish faith and "have done nothing other than to raise her in the Jewish faith."
"It is not in Ela's best interests to be baptized and thrust into a religion outside of the Jewish faith," the motion stated. It also argued that Ela and Rebecca will suffer "irreparable injury" if "inappropriate behavior such as baptizing the child outside her religion" and taking her to church continues.
Reyes, however, has denied the claims. He has also said that they did not attend Jewish services regularly – only on High Holy Days.
Despite Reyes' arguments, the First District Appellate Court denied Reyes' appeal to the court order by Judge Edward R. Jordan last December.
Reyes and his wife are now making their case before Judge Goldfarb, battling over what faith their daughter should be raised in.
The judges' final ruling in the divorce case is expected to be delivered in a couple weeks.
