Material Mom Fit For Second Adoption?

The Material Girl is at it again.

A court official in the African nation of Malawi says Madonna has applied to adopt another orphan.

Madonna has been here before, and that adoption of her son David was controversial enough. Now she's apparently going back for more -- more children and more controversy, reports CBS News correspondent Mark Phillips.

This time it's Mercy -- a 4-year-old orphan, who is already reportedly in the hands of Madonna's staff at a luxury resort in Malawi. A court case is scheduled to be heard on Monday and Madonna is expected to be in country for it.

Of course, Madonna's life is a lot different this time around, following her divorce from Guy Ritchie. And a Malawian adoption official has been quoted saying that "connectedness to a family" is a fundamental condition for approval. Madonna's insistence on going ahead with this adoption is said to have been a major point of friction between her and her former husband.

Last time the controversy centered around Madonna's use of her money and her celebrity status to facilitate a quick -- some thought -- ego-driven adoption. This time the controversy is greater. She can provide wealth and comfort, critics say, but can she provide a real family?

Madonna, for her part, says controversy is inevitable.

"If you're a celebrity, adopting a child is not a very private thing, unfortunately, because it is something that involves the government and a lot of bureaucracy and there's just no way that it's going to be private," Madonna had said on May 22, 2006 early in the process of adopting her son, David.

If she wins … controversy. If she loses ... embarrassment. And either way, the welfare of a child in the balance.