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I've blogged in the past about my pro-life stance. I have the distinct feeling that I've won no one over, but at least I can show that there are intelligent, principled, consistent pro-lifers: those of us who support alternatives to abortion; support adoption, fostering, and caring for children, mothers, and fathers in general; oppose the death penalty, war, and all forms of violence. In return, I've been very grateful to find both people who agree with me and people who disagree respectfully—and that most of us can agree on a lot of positive steps, despite our differences.
Wow, do I need that kind of reassurance today. I was cruising through the US Conference of Catholic Bishops website to get the readings for this Sunday, and the top headline on the page gave me pause: "Bishop Morin calls claims against CCHD's work 'outrageous'". I thought, "What claims?" and clicked. I found out what claims; I did a Google search and found that these claims are indeed out there on the Internet, they're ugly, and some of them come up pretty high on the Google list.
I can understand that not everyone wants to support the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. They have strict rules: no money can go to partisan causes, groups that support abortion in any way, etc. Now CCHD is under attack by "pro-life" groups that say CCHD have been giving money to support abortion, gay marriage, and things I don't even want to name because they're too outrageous. (To clarify: I do support gay marriage; that's not "outrageous," though it happens to be something CCHD has never supported.)
The CCHD does give grants to ecumenical organizations and groups not connected with a particular faith. They work against poverty, not for conversion. I think that's part of the reason for the opposition, but it's not the stated reasons, which are absurd. (I'm not going into the charges. Bishop Morin rebuts some of them at the link above. I've visited a few of the sites encouraging a boycott, and they're playing guilt by association. Some of it's sickening.) CCHD helps a lot of people regardless of the religion (or lack thereof) of the agencies they give grants, the volunteers, or the clients.
A few of my friends have urged me to find another term for myself than "pro-life" because some anti-abortion activists have tainted it. I still think it's the best term for an essential part of my values, and it covers far more than abortion. It's people like those campaigning against the Campaign who have made "pro-life" sound like a bad word.
Those are the people urging Catholics to print out this:
This year, I will give the money I would have given to the CCHD to another organization which is fully in agreement with Church teaching on social justice and family and life issues.
I will be happy to support the CCHD again if and when the following occurs:
1) When I am sure that my donation will go to groups who support, or at least do not oppose in any way, Church teaching on social justice and family and life issues, based on substantial published research into the funded groups, and
2) When the CCHD publishes prominently on its Web site exactly where all CCHD funds went, including the research and due dili- gence performed which prove that the funded groups in no way oppose the Church and her teaching.
Until the CCHD provides this information, I will not give a single penny to its programs. And if it cannot, it should be entirely defunded by this diocese and across the country.
and stuff it into the CCHD envelopes this Sunday instead of money.
I want to ask these people: Exactly how much research do you want? How much donation money do you want spent on it?
You know what? As a charity registered with the US Government, the CCHD has, I'm pretty sure, strict record-keeping requirements. They could use a better website than their current one; it's under the USCCB, so some of the links lead right back out of CCHD without always indicating clearly that they do. I'm pretty sure one can request a copy of their documentation. If I had more time, I'd get more details, but it's Friday evening, and I can't get that information before the collection this weekend. I wonder how long this campaign has been building, that the response on the USCCB site is dated Nov. 17? I wonder if it was deliberately started shortly before the collection to give the organization little chance to respond?
I'll also note that each parish has people, sometimes staff but often volunteers, who open these envelopes; they don't all get shipped to a national address. So underpaid parish staff and volunteers will be wasting their time pulling stupid scraps of paper out of envelopes come Monday, trying to find the actual checks.
CCHD are the good guys. Their goal is to help people escape poverty; many of the groups with whom they work help the very women who without this help might feel they had no choice but abortion, and the children who are born to parents in difficult circumstances who chose to have a baby even when it was hard. They don't limit themselves to families, however. Here's what their brochure says: "The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) is the Gospel at work and Catholic social teaching in action. CCHD practices the principles the Church teaches: the option for the poor, solidarity, subsidiarity, and participation. CCHD defends human life and dignity every day, in countless ways, all across our nation." They've been doing it for many years. That's why I give: they're my kind of pro-life.
My choice is clear. I'm doubling my annual contribution to the Catholic Campaign for Human Development this weekend.
Wow, do I need that kind of reassurance today. I was cruising through the US Conference of Catholic Bishops website to get the readings for this Sunday, and the top headline on the page gave me pause: "Bishop Morin calls claims against CCHD's work 'outrageous'". I thought, "What claims?" and clicked. I found out what claims; I did a Google search and found that these claims are indeed out there on the Internet, they're ugly, and some of them come up pretty high on the Google list.
I can understand that not everyone wants to support the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. They have strict rules: no money can go to partisan causes, groups that support abortion in any way, etc. Now CCHD is under attack by "pro-life" groups that say CCHD have been giving money to support abortion, gay marriage, and things I don't even want to name because they're too outrageous. (To clarify: I do support gay marriage; that's not "outrageous," though it happens to be something CCHD has never supported.)
The CCHD does give grants to ecumenical organizations and groups not connected with a particular faith. They work against poverty, not for conversion. I think that's part of the reason for the opposition, but it's not the stated reasons, which are absurd. (I'm not going into the charges. Bishop Morin rebuts some of them at the link above. I've visited a few of the sites encouraging a boycott, and they're playing guilt by association. Some of it's sickening.) CCHD helps a lot of people regardless of the religion (or lack thereof) of the agencies they give grants, the volunteers, or the clients.
A few of my friends have urged me to find another term for myself than "pro-life" because some anti-abortion activists have tainted it. I still think it's the best term for an essential part of my values, and it covers far more than abortion. It's people like those campaigning against the Campaign who have made "pro-life" sound like a bad word.
Those are the people urging Catholics to print out this:
This year, I will give the money I would have given to the CCHD to another organization which is fully in agreement with Church teaching on social justice and family and life issues.
I will be happy to support the CCHD again if and when the following occurs:
1) When I am sure that my donation will go to groups who support, or at least do not oppose in any way, Church teaching on social justice and family and life issues, based on substantial published research into the funded groups, and
2) When the CCHD publishes prominently on its Web site exactly where all CCHD funds went, including the research and due dili- gence performed which prove that the funded groups in no way oppose the Church and her teaching.
Until the CCHD provides this information, I will not give a single penny to its programs. And if it cannot, it should be entirely defunded by this diocese and across the country.
and stuff it into the CCHD envelopes this Sunday instead of money.
I want to ask these people: Exactly how much research do you want? How much donation money do you want spent on it?
You know what? As a charity registered with the US Government, the CCHD has, I'm pretty sure, strict record-keeping requirements. They could use a better website than their current one; it's under the USCCB, so some of the links lead right back out of CCHD without always indicating clearly that they do. I'm pretty sure one can request a copy of their documentation. If I had more time, I'd get more details, but it's Friday evening, and I can't get that information before the collection this weekend. I wonder how long this campaign has been building, that the response on the USCCB site is dated Nov. 17? I wonder if it was deliberately started shortly before the collection to give the organization little chance to respond?
I'll also note that each parish has people, sometimes staff but often volunteers, who open these envelopes; they don't all get shipped to a national address. So underpaid parish staff and volunteers will be wasting their time pulling stupid scraps of paper out of envelopes come Monday, trying to find the actual checks.
CCHD are the good guys. Their goal is to help people escape poverty; many of the groups with whom they work help the very women who without this help might feel they had no choice but abortion, and the children who are born to parents in difficult circumstances who chose to have a baby even when it was hard. They don't limit themselves to families, however. Here's what their brochure says: "The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) is the Gospel at work and Catholic social teaching in action. CCHD practices the principles the Church teaches: the option for the poor, solidarity, subsidiarity, and participation. CCHD defends human life and dignity every day, in countless ways, all across our nation." They've been doing it for many years. That's why I give: they're my kind of pro-life.
My choice is clear. I'm doubling my annual contribution to the Catholic Campaign for Human Development this weekend.
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