CCHD - More updates

Recently I blogged on how the Bishops are supporting groups promoting abortion in Wisconsin.  through the USCCB group known as the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

It seems things have been heating up over this.  The Bishops fall meeting in DC had brought this subject up.

The chairman of the U.S. bishops’ subcommittee which oversees the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) has defended the program against what he called “outrageous” allegations and claims. He reiterated that the campaign is pro-life and has “zero tolerance” for funding any group that violates Catholic teaching.

Bishop of Biloxi, Mississippi Roger Morin on Tuesday addressed the fall assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on the topic of the CCHD.

CNA Nov 19

This response is a bit troubling considering the fact that their own documents are the ones condemning them.  The USCCB published who received money, this isn't like someone is releasing classified documents.

The bishop(Morin) said it was “particularly disturbing” that people form an opinion of CCHD based on an individual incident of misconduct.

What is becoming obvious is that MANY of the organizations receiving money participate in promoting the culture of death.  If we just look at Wisconsin we can find 4 out of the 7 groups receiving money have directly or cooperated with groups in promoting abortion.  This is not an "individual incident" and this is very minimal checking on my part. 

Green Bay	ESTHER (Gamaliel Foundation affiliate)	$32,000
Green Bay	JOSHUA Justice Organization Sharing Hope & United for Action	$25,000
LaCrosse	AMOS (Gamaliel Foundation affiliate)	$25,000
LaCrosse	Joining Our Neighbors Advancing Hope	$25,000
Milwaukee	Common Ground – Industrial Areas Foundation – See Website	$40,000
Racine	RIC - Racine Interfaith Coalition (Gamaliel Foundation affiliate)	$25,000
Milwaukee	Voces dela Frontera	$50,000

Another thing to remember is that the CCHD is not involved with actually helping the poor, but to overcome the "root causes" of poverty.

• Pro-Life groups are NOT eligible for these funds
• Pregnancy Care Centers are NOT eligible for these funds
• Religious Orders are NOT eligible for these funds
• Soup kitchens and homeless programs are NOT eligible for these funds.
• Direct services at Not covered.

Relevant Radio's Drew Mariani's show today is on this subject...

UPDATE: Diocese of Madison is NOT PARTICIPATING in CCHD collection this weekend!
American Life League alerted me to this just published by the Madison Diocese

While Bishop Morlino continues to seek out answers to the many questions arising with regard to the National Campaign, and until he is personally confident that funds collected from the faithful of the Diocese of Madison will not be used to fund groups which violate the teaching of the Church by their policies, he will continue to seek out other helpful ways to assist those in need.  This year’s National CCHD collection (2009) from the Diocese of Madison will go to the Little Sisters of the Poor and their international outreach ministry to the elderly.  The sisters operate 202 homes in 32 countries.

 We hope and pray other diocese will follow Bishop Morlino's example.

Note: It has been said that those not approving of the CCHD actions are "bishop bashing" among other things. I think this is exact opposite, we love our bishops and want any group who may be deceiving them on how money is being spent to be exposed.  Discussion and even *gasp* debate are a good thing, and as GK Chesterton said "Too often people can let an argument get in the way of a good debate."