LONDON, July 14 (UPI) -- Roman Catholic bishops in Britain say Catholic adoption agencies may close if a government effort to end discrimination against gays becomes law.  

The bishops say if the Catholic Church is not exempted from the proposed regulations, the adoption agencies could be penalized if they refuse to place children with gay couples, reports The Daily Telegraph.

The bishops maintain the proposed law does not distinguish between homophobia and religious conviction, the report said.

The proposed Sexual Orientation Regulations, legislation will make discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation illegal in the same way as race or sex.

"The case we make for exception is based on the Catholic teaching of our adoption and fostering agencies that entails acceptance criteria which means, for instance, that gay and lesbian couples cannot be assessed as prospective adopters," the bishops said in a notification to the government.