From a priest reader regarding the collection for the Campaign for Human Development in Catholic parishes.
I want to keep this anonymous.
FYI, the CCHD is a mandatory collection in my diocese ….
However, after the ACORN fiasco I do not feel that, in good conscience, I can take up the collection in my parish. We pitched the envelope and I will send a check for $50 to the chancery. I expect to catch some heat for this, but this is the only way things will really change.
FWIW
What does the CHD collection really say?
UPDATE: 20 Nov 1337 GMT
It the interest of balance, at least one diocesan ordinary has issued a statement about the CCHD collection.
"IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT THIS SUNDAY’S
CATHOLIC CAMPAIGN FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
(CCHD) COLLECTION AND ACORN RUMORS"
Date: November 14, 2008
To: All pastors and parish administrators
From: Most Reverend Archbishop John C. Nienstedt
Re: Important Facts about this Sunday’s CCHD Collection and ACORN Rumors
Some parishes and parish administrators have alerted us to an organized campaign by
misinformed individuals intent on discouraging contributions to this weekend’s Catholic
Campaign for Human Development Collection (CCHD). These individuals are contending that
CCHD still has ties to ACORN, the organization that has been identified with, among other
things, voter registration fraud.
Until last June, 2008, CCHD had contributed to the good works of ACORN such as preventing
home foreclosures, creating job opportunities, raising wages and addressing crime and
improving education. Because of some financial improprieties discussed in June, all financial
support ceased. Therefore, there was no CCHD monies involved in any of the alleged voter
fraud. It would be most unfortunate to "punish" CCHD which provides so much help to the
poor.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. If you have questions, or would like a
copy of the question and answer document about this ACORN issue prepared by the USCCB
Communications, please contact Dennis McGrath, the Archdiocese’s Director of
Communications at 651-291-4412 or email him at mcgrathd@archspm.org.
[Link to Morin’s report and the USCCB website link included here]
Here is something from the USCCB’s subcommittee on this:
REPORT OF BISHOP ROGER MORIN, CHAIRMAN
SUBCOMMITTEE ON CATHOLIC CAMPAIGN FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
ON CCHD and ACORN
November 11, 2008For nearly forty years, the Catholic Campaign For Human Development has practiced what the Church teaches about the option for the poor, subsidiarity and solidarity in helping people living in poverty defend their dignity and work for greater justice. Local CCHD-funded groups have made real differences on safer neighborhoods, better schools, decent wages, affordable housing, and immigrant rights. Because the mission of CCHD is so important, the Bishops work very hard to promote it and protect it by careful review and monitoring of CCHD grants to make sure they comply with CCHD’s guidelines and Catholic teaching.
This report covers the steps CCHD and our Conference have taken and are taking to address our serious concerns regarding controversies involving the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, known as ACORN. In the past, CCHD has funded proposals from local organizations affiliated with ACORN when those activities conform to the CCHD guidelines and when the local diocesan CCHD director and the local diocesan bishop explicitly approve the proposal. Many of these local ACORN groups have done impressive work preventing home foreclosures, creating jobs opportunities, raising wages, addressing crime and improving education.
Last June, CCHD cut off funding to all ACORN groups when we learned about a major case of embezzlement eight years ago that was covered up by ACORN staff leadership. This theft and cover-up raised serious concerns about national ACORN’s financial accountability, transparency, governance and organizational integrity. Even though CCHD was only funding local ACORN organizations, and not these national structures, we felt it was necessary to cut off CCHD funding and review support of all ACORN groups.
More recently, the Subcommittee also became concerned about widespread reports of ACORN involvement in alleged voter registration fraud and political partisanship. As a result of the cut-off earlier this year, no CCHD funds were involved in any of these activities. However, the allegations intensified our questions and problems around ACORN’s organizational integrity, competence and non-partisanship. Therefore, we extended the cut off of CCHD funding of any ACORN organizations.
The Bishops’ CCHD Subcommittee met November 8-9 and reviewed this matter at length and discussed it in depth. The Bishop members of the Subcommittee voted unanimously to reaffirm, extend and formalize the decision to end CCHD funding of ACORN organizations because of serious concerns about financial accountability, organizational performance and political partisanship. While not all the specifics can be known, we simply had too many continuing questions and concerns about these serious matters to permit CCHD funding of ACORN groups. Dioceses have told us about the good work done by local ACORN affiliates and we regret that they will not be able to receive CCHD support. We simply could not be absolutely sure that CCHD resources would be used in a manner consistent with our criteria and funding guidelines. This cut off means that no CCHD grants were given to ACORN groups this year (using funds from the 2007 CCHD collection) and no funds from the coming collection (to be taken up in on November 23-24 in many dioceses) will go to ACORN in any place or at any level.
In addition to this funding cutoff, the CCHD Subcommittee and staff have taken a number of other steps:
I chair a special working group within the Bishops’ CCHD Subcommittee to monitor and act on this continuing situation.
CCHD and the USCCB have secured the services of specialists in forensic accounting to help determine if any CCHD money was taken or misused. This investigation is thorough and ongoing.
CCHD, USCCB staff and I have met with ACORN leaders to express our serious concerns and to seek answers to specific questions.
We continue to consult with our CCHD Diocesan Directors to seek their guidance.
The Subcommittee also voted that CCHD should work with others to assist low-income community organizations to adopt and model best practices in areas of financial accountability, organizational management and effective governance. The Subcommittee believes that these efforts can help community organizations and CCHD to carry out more effectively our essential mission of empowering and assisting low-income communities in pursuing economic and social justice.
CCHD’s current criteria and guidelines prohibit partisan activity and funding of any group that engages in activities contrary to Catholic moral teaching, whether or not those activities are funded by CCHD. These criteria are actively enforced and have led CCHD to deny funding to many groups and to quickly terminate any group that violates these prohibitions. The Bishops’ CCHD Subcommittee and staff are reviewing these existing CCHD’s policies, grant agreements, and other safeguards in order to reaffirm and strengthen our protections in areas of Church teaching, financial and organizational accountability, and partisan political activity. We are also examining ways to affirm and articulate the continuing efforts of CCHD in language clearly reflecting the principles of Catholic social teaching, which are at the heart of our mission.
Supporters of CCHD can be reassured for the way CCHD has responded to these challenges and take pride in the impressive and creative ways CCHD carries out the values of the Gospel and the principles of our Catholic faith in rural communities and urban neighborhoods across our nation. Everyday countless numbers of our brothers and sisters are able to say they have been lifted from the scourge of poverty and are able to achieve self sufficiency.
CCHD is fully committed to protecting and carrying out our essential mission “to bring good news to the poor, liberty to captives, new sight to the blind and to set the downtrodden free” (Luke 4). That was Jesus’ mission on earth and that is CCHD’s mission today.
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After reading about it the other day, I tore my CCHD envelope in half and threw it away.
The USCCB statement says they’re not giving any money to ACORN affiliated groups, so feel free to donate.
http://www.usccb.org/cchd/morin_acorn_report.shtml
I can understand this priest’s fear and I certainly have no intention of having any of my money go to that radical group ACORN; however, I believe Brian is right about ACORN being cut out. It also seems that out of obedience this collection should still be taken at the parish.
Brian O’Gallagher, Boston,
Speaking as an Australian Catholic, I think the problems with CCHD are endemic and go beyond the ACORN fiasco:
“In 1969, the U.S. bishops established CCHD to fund low-income controlled empowerment projects and to educate Catholics about the root causes of poverty. Since then the campaign has spent $300 million funding community and parish organizing. According to the grant application criteria on the CCHD website, groups offering direct services, e.g., soup kitchens, day care centers, homeless shelters, etc. are ineligible. So scrap the Missionaries of Charity, your local free clinic, or crisis pregnancy center; they are banned by definition. Not a single one appears on the 2007 summary of CCHD grantees.””
http://www.catholicmediacoalition.org/picking_pockets.htm
Quite frankly, from my limited research, CCHD is a scam and a fraud that takes money from the simple faithful and directs it to Marxist-inspired political activists, under the pretence of Christian charity.
These are, in the words of Her Majesty Mary I of England “evil men such as by learning would seem to deceive the people”.
Give your money to a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter instead. They’re more likely to spend it on the poor than on some Harvard-educated Marxist-inspired “community organizer” who believes in abortion and eugenics.
The USCCB statement says they’re not giving any money to ACORN affiliated groups, so feel free to donate.
Come on Brian, surely you are not really that dense? ACORN itself is not the central issue. The same people who decided it was a good idea to waste the money of millions of Catholic faithful on ACORN are still responsible for disbursing the CHD monies.
wsxyz, you are right. In 1996 leading pro-life Congressman Bob Dornan was targeted by CCHD-funded groups that worked to elect pro-abortion playgirl Loretta Sanchez. Ten years later, they’re still at it with ACORN. The point is, that no charity that provides actual help to the poor is permitted to receive CCHD money. It all goes to activists who p— it up against the wall, pursuing political agenda. The leopard has not changed its spots.
A pox on them.
CCHD was under scrutiny at the US bishops’ meeting in November because of the campaign’s past support for ACORN, a community organization that was charged with involvement in massive voter fraud during this year’s presidential campaign. But Laity for Life argues that the problems with CCHD extend beyond that single group. “From its earliest years of funding Marxist-organizer Saul Alinsky’s Industrial Areas Foundation, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development has been embroiled repeatedly in public controversy resulting from its funding highly politicized left-wing organizations and activities, many of which have operated in blatant contradiction to Catholic doctrine and teaching,” said Patricia Bucalo, president of Laity for Life.
Source: Lay activits question support for CCHD
While CCHD has ceased funding ACORN now, what is troubling is that they were being funded at all for many years. There are some interesting connections into the kind of organizations funded by CCHD. Here is something written back in September:
Go read: Campaign to Help Democrats
I don’t think it ends there. Do any of the organizations getting money support Planned Parenthood – even if only indirectly?
U.S. Bishops’ Program Funded Obama-headed Group in 1980s
No – I’m not comforted in the least that CCHD has suspended funding to ACORN. The organization as a whole has shown a long pattern of supporting leftist ideologies….the kind that gave us Obama to begin with.
Misgivings about CCHD are still out there. Read this from Wanderer contributer Stephanie Block:
http://www.thewandererpress.com/ee/wandererpress/index.php?pSetup=wandererpress&curDate=20080925
Write your bishop. Write your bishop. Write your bishop. A few letters on any one subject is alot. How many letters do you think they really get?
I wrote to Bishop Loverde of Arlington and got a response. It doesn’t need to be anything but a quick letter saying that you won’t be giving to the CCHD, and pleading them to suspend the collection.
There is a 90 page book published by THE WANDERER PRESS in 1996 called “THE LEGACY OF CHD” by Paul Likoudis. Originally published by the Wanderer in its paper in 1994, it is a critical account of where they spend there money. I have not donated to CHD since I read this booklet.
(rant) The entire so called “non-profit” industry has become big business, the playground for the wealthy, a good way to make contacts, to be seen, to promote, to gain public sympathy, and generally a great way to get ahead in the world. Morally bankrupt movie “stars” (as they call themselves) like to photo op in Africa in front of some elephant and a poorly clad child before they get back into their private jet to fly back to their privately owned villa the size of a small town.
I am generally very ill disposed to all institutionalized “charity”. You want to be charitable? Stop contracepting and have a large family. That’s charity. (/rant)
Will not give to the so-called CCHD.
It behooves us all to seek truly Catholic charities. I have been giving to the AID TO THE CHURCH IN NEED and as far as I can tell and research, it is a worthy cause. I read THE BACON PRIEST ro learn how this charity was instituted after WWII and so on. I am pleased to donate to them rather to suspect agencies.
http://www.aidtochurch.org/
CCHD sounds like the infamous CAFOD here in the UK – the so-called Catholic Fund For Overseas
Development which, among other things, supports issuing condoms. My advice is, if it’s like CAFOD, don’t touch it with the proverbial bargepole.
>What does the CHD collection really say?
It says: give your money to the Salvation Army. The poor and needy are well taken care of – and they might actually hear something about Our Lord Jesus Christ.
I’m done arguing this — no good Catholic should give to this collection.
What I DO want to say is thank you to this priest. He is actually showing a backbone and we need to support him.
Here is a list provided by CCHD of their grantees last year. As noted above, ACORN has been removed this year.
http://64.233.169.132/search?q=cache:hm6-tGGe_WwJ:www.usccb.org/cchd/2007CCHDGrantees.pdf+2007+summary+of+CCHD+grantees&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us
I would very much appreciate any documented evidence about grantees on the list who promote abortion or have policies that are explicitly contrary to Catholic doctrine. Such information, rather than generalized complains about political orientation, etc., would be very helpful to priests who are about to deal with this issue.
Here is a list provided by CCHD of their grantees last year. As noted above, ACORN has been removed this year.
http://64.233.169.132/search?q=cache:hm6-tGGe_WwJ:www.usccb.org/cchd/2007CCHDGrantees.pdf+2007+summary+of+CCHD+grantees&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us
I would very much appreciate any documented evidence about grantees on the list who promote abortion or have policies that are explicitly contrary to Catholic doctrine. Such information, rather than generalized complains about political orientation, etc., would be very helpful to priests who are about to deal with this issue.
(this is reposted from a stale com-box)
Opps, sorry about the double post.
I picked a grantee at random and did a 2.5 minute google search. I picked the Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center in Seattle. On their website they list “The Universe Story” as one of their ministries. Under the menu item titled “Women,” I found a conference with this description:
“Plenary speakers included Marie Chin, RSM, Diana Hayes, PhD, and Edwina Gateley, and 33 workshops featured national women presenters on multiculturalism, prayer, sexuality, Eucharist, conscience, ministry, feminist biblical spirituality, eco-justice, and women’s faith journey.”
Do a quick google of Edwina Gateley, if you don’t know her. Nothing outrageous here, I guess, but my well-trained former feminist eyes see lots and lots of code words in that list.
Fr. Philip, OP
It is largely irrelevant whether ACORN is or is not a grantee. It is very easy to set up intermediate umbrella groups, using any name whatsoever, laundering the money and funneling it wherever it wants.
Hmm, Father… The link you provide to the CHD grantees seems an incomplete list as I do not see my own diocese, which published their own list of grantees in their propaganda. Might this mean that there are separate mechanisms for national and local grantees? (This would seem to make accountability and oversight even more difficult.)
Carpe, I make no claims for the list–it is merely the one they publish themselves.
I called OSV and eliminated the envelope for next year’s run. We’ll see what the Chancery says. I may just slip them $50 to make it look like someone gave. We’ll see.
I will not give money to any of the USCCB initiatives. I can distribute my charity money much better than they can; anybody could.
Looking at those beneficiaries of CCHD that remain on the list it is obvious that some advocate in areas that are in conflict with Catholic teaching. Further most are what can objectively be described as liberal social justice oriented agencies. No problem with the later. However I know of Dioceses that budget absolutely no (zero) money for respect for life programs (anti abortion) yet send big checks to CCHD for their questionable re-donations.
IMO any Catholic who lives in a Diocese that does not financially support respect for life should not donate to CCHD and should make their reasons clear.
Our parish will be taking up a collection this weekend for the poor of the parish -to be given in support of the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry to meet the needs of needy in our neighborhood.
nix CCHD
I think the best advice I’ve heard about the CCHD was in my parish bulleting: “In light of all that this Campaign has promoted and accomplished give accordingly.”
The CCDH was started in 1970. In 1968 Joseph Bernardin became General Secretary of USCCB.
I would add my name in support of someone’s doing a little research on the recipients of CCHD funding and documenting those which are not worthy of official Catholic funding (specifics — i.e. this organization supports radical feminist initiatives; that one supports contraception; etc…). I would do it myself but I do not have the time! However, if I am going to stand up at a parish and discourage people from contributing to this, and probably have to take a lot of flack from higher ups about it, then I need something documented to show them. Seriously, if there is someone reading who can take the time to do this, it would be a great service to priests reading here.
Father Thompson — it’s more a matter of the partners of the organizations funded by the Campaign for Human Development (CHD). They include Planned Parenthood, NARAL, NOW and other pro-abortion groups. Does the money get earmarked for these organizations? No. But that’s far from the end of the story.
The fact of the matter is ACORN illegally helped elect a pro-abortion president, and 5% of CHD funds went to ACORN. This alone should be reason to not take up a second collection for CHD. Whomever suggested sending $50 to the chancery is sending $50 too much. Send nothing — a much stronger statement.
This is a great opportunity for priests to fund a special project by asking people to donate to restore an altar or vestment instead of giving to CHD on Sunday.
TomG wrote:
[What does the CHD collection really say?] It says: give your money to the Salvation Army. The poor and needy are well taken care of – and they might actually hear something about Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Salvation Army is laudable, but could I insert a plug for Aid to the Church in Need–the Catholic relief organization founded by Father Werenfried van Straaten? It’s faithful to the Magisterium, and its outreach is tremendous…
They CHD get none of my already limited cash budget. I cut the middle man and give directly to people who are in poverty. I know the money goes directly to them instead of to some middle man.
However that being said a 2nd collection is a great time to take collection for the restoration (not wreckovation) of a Church or getting some Roman Style Vestments :)
Diane’s comments at 5:53 a.m. are spot on…
The problem is that the collection is mandatory in the parishes; the Father/letter writer’s decision to cap his parish’s “donation” at $50 is a good one. Most bishops should understand.
CCHD’s chronic funding of organizations with a serious, deliberate left-wing orientations is problematic. You cannot – morally – support even a FABULOUS housing program (for example)if it’s at the price of keeping something as seriously wicked and as pervasive as abortion legal.
That said, the other grave and equally as serious problem with CCHD funding Alinskyian organizing is that these organizations embrace and promote liberationism – a Marxist distortion of Church teaching. This is a cancer in the Church. It teaches moral relativism, class antagonism, and a host of other errors.
There’s a LOT of detailed information about this available on the web. Please begin studying the issue. We have a real problem on our hands.
Yours in Christ,
Stephanie Block
Let me add to Stephanie’s post with an example of how the organizing goes. I live in the diocese of Arlington. Several of our most liberal priests partnered with the Industrial Areas Foundation (affiliates get about 15% of the CCHD collection every year)to form VOICE, a coalition of 42 churches who will work together for “social justice” causes. During the formation of the group they made it clear that their primary focus is taxpayer funding of their particular causes (housing and health care were specifically mentioned) in the news articles. A local official who asked about the group being involved in pro-life efforts was practically booted out of the room. The church hosting the VOICE website is a universalist church that promotes abortion, homosexuality, and wicca. There is no way to ensure these coalitions of strange bedfellows don’t advance an anti-Catholic agenda. I fully expect VOICE, which got a very favorable article in the diocesan paper, to be applying for a CCHD grant next year. But they may have already been funded by CCHD through IAF. Additionally, all the member churches pay dues to IAF so the Catholic churches involved (8 or 10 in the diocese) are also supporting the IAF separately from CCHD. It is a spiders web of connections like the bureaucracy in C.S. Lewis’ novel That Hideous Strength. Should the Catholic Church be entangled in the CCHD web? I don’t think so. The faithful in the pew have absolutely no idea how these groups operate. They give based on trust and I believe that trust, unfortunately, is misplaced. Catholic Media Coalition is committed to fighting the CCHD until it is either eliminated or reformed.
my pastor’s 2 cents:
There has been some talk regarding the Catholic Campaign for Human Development second collection which is to be taken up next weekend. As you know from the news surrounding the recent presidential election, an organization known as ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) caused considerable concern with numerous allegations of voter registration fraud and illegal partisanship. The Catholic Campaign for Human Development in the past has funded ACORN projects. In light of the recent allegations, we are all rightly concerned that funding to such an organization as ACORN not come from our pockets.
The Archdiocese has a very strict means of overseeing the disbursement of monies for charitable use within the Archdiocese. The Office of the Archbishop sent a one-page flyer describing how this is done, including funds disbursed from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development on the local level. I quote, “Every (charitable funding) proposal is evaluated by the local Campaign for Human Development director and a national field representative, and must receive funding approval from the local bishop. The Archdiocese of Washington requires two additional steps: review by an advisory board of parishioners who have been recommended by their pastors and a detailed, signed affirmation that the program is consistent with Catholic moral teaching.”
I quote again, “In June 2008, following concerns about past financial improprieties and organizational accountability at the national level, funding to all ACORN affiliates was suspended.” The Catholic Campaign for Human Development is voluntarily reviewing its own funding policies as a result of the ACORN problem. I am confident that Archbishop Wuerl continues to properly regulate the financial contributions that are received by the Archdiocese, and that he is properly directive regarding disbursement of funds on the local level.
A copy of the one-page flyer regarding the Catholic Campaign for Human Development from the Archdiocese is available in the parish office. May the Lord bless and protect each of you in the week ahead.
http://www.sacredheartbowie.org/articles.php
I read that Bishop Baker of Birmingham, AL has canceled the CHD collection this weekend and will substitute his Latin American charity.
In lieu of the Campaign for Horrific Development, how about a collection for the Carmelite monks in Cody, Wyoming? I just got a donation request in the mail from them. They are a small, growing community that needs support. It looks like they know how to ‘develop humans’, to borrow the expression. Lots of vocations, TLM, Gregorian Chant, ‘refectory readings chanted from the scriptures and the lives of the saints,’ !!! etc., etc. Any group of guys that can get up every day at 4:10 AM and still be smiling for the camera deserve a contribution…
Take that collection up and send it to
ATTN: Br. Simon Mary of the Cross, M. Carm.
Carmelite Monastery
P.O. Box 2747
Cody, WY 82414-2747
We haven’t given a penny to CHD since 1973. At that time I was tipped off to the bad stewardship of CHD by the newsletter CatholicEye published by the late Jim McFadden. I’ve kept the cancelled check from our last CHD contribution as a reminder of how bad the USCCB bureaucracy has become.
Notice how in these days of apostasy even a donation requires a great deal of discernment! Pray before donating.
Hi Mary Ann Kreitzer,
I love your Les Femmes newsletter you send out!
Dump the CHD and give to a Traditionalist organization like the Fraternity of St Peter or ICKSP. Or even the SSPX.
Yes even here in St. Louis the other groups that receive funding are problematic. The bishops need to rethink this whole thing. Why is money going to organizations that are not even Catholic?
I do not give to the Salvation Army because, after all, it is another church. There are other Catholic or non-affiliated charities that do similar work. And their bell-ringers are annoying.
H.E. Archbishop Nienstedt of Minneapolis/St. Paul has weighed in, and sent an open letter to all parishes and parish administrators refuting the objections raised by serious-minded Catholics in the archdiocese, labeling them as “misinformed individuals intent on discouraging contributions” to the collection.
He further lauds ACORN’s “good works, such as preventing home foreclosures, creating job opportunities, raising wages and addressing crime and improving education.” He states that, “It would be most unfortunate to ‘punish’ CCHD which provides so much help to the poor.”
I’m afraid H.E. is ignoring the bigger picture, that ACORN, far from performing “good works” has played a key roll in our current national financial and educational crises, and has served more to secure power and guarantee careers for lefty-liberal politicians.
The statement that none of the ACORN money has been involved in voter fraud cannot be true. ACORN was in states long before June “registering” “voters”. The entire scandal shows you need to be careful with donating your money even to “Catholic” charities.
Quite apart from the ACORN scandal there are enough extremely dodgy agencies on that list to give the most generous Catholic pause with pen over checkbook. Take some time and do some googling. I dug a little deeper into the Intercommunity Peace and Justice Center that I mentioned in the combox above. They sponsored a conference in 2005 that was a veritable Who’s Who of Aging Hippie Dissenters. They have another conference coming up in 2009. From the look of things all those A.H.D. who are still alive and mobile will show up to shake their enfeebled fists at The Man. I wonder how many donors to the CCHD know that their donations are used for this garbage…Fr. Philip
I’m so pleased to find your website and to know that the CHD problem is surfacing. In late October I sent a packet of info by U.S. Mail to the 95 parish councils in our Diocese of San Berbardino, California. Virtually no response. I sent a follow-up e-mail asking for confirmation that my material would be presented to the councils. Almost a month later, the score is Presented 2, Trashed 2, No Answer 91.
At the recent USCCB meeting in Baltimore, Bishops Bruskewitz, Boyea and Naumann spoke in open session on aspects of the CHD problem after Bishop Morin reported. I called the USCCB to get a transcript of their remarks or minutes of the meeting for that portion of the session. I was informed that minutes are not distributed and that I should contact the CHD office or Catholic news outlets for information. My protests that this kind of information control was not in the spirit of faithful stewardship/expanded responsibility of the laity was ignored. No one above the rank of secretary in the General Secretary\’s office would take my call.
My bishop contact in the USCCB advised me that discussion of the CHD was scheduled for the executive session, but they ran out of time. He thinks the issue may arise in other meetings in 2009.
I am skeptical that any meaningful reform will happen without some real pressure from the pews. Right now, even well-informed Catholics don\’t have a clue. I am not fully reassured that the suspension of funds to ACORN is permanent. There is wiggle room for rehabilitation/re-funding in Bishop Morin\’s statement. Even if ACORN is permanently excluded, there are other groups receiving CHD funds that most Catholics would never support if they knew the facts.
The priests who have accepted their responsibility to not participate in misleading their parishioners deserve our admiration. After all, although it is not the primary consideration, there is a career aspect to the priesthood. It is not as easy as it looks to stand up to brother priests and the bishop on this matter.
We didn’t have the CHD second collection yesterday, but I don’t know if that was accidental or deliberate. Sometimes our priests have been known to just forget to take up second collections, and they do them the next Sunday, apologizing for their forgetfulness. The bishop sent out his annual letter encouraging people to donate, and the diocesan paper ran a story emphasizing that CHD isn’t giving to ACORN any more. But as others have said, ACORN was just one of the symptoms, not the underlying cause of the problem with CHD. I don’t believe CHD is helping to build up the Social Kingship of Christ, so I won’t be giving to it any more.