Just askin’ about the CCHD

If I am not mistaken… is this next weekend scheduled, at least in some dioceses, to collect money in parishes for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development?

Maybe I am mistaken.

If I am not mistaken didn’t the CCHD give money to ACORN?

I’m just askin’…

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

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68 Comments

  1. David says:

    The second collection for CCHD was this past weekend st the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

    I think that they did give money to ACORN, which is why I wouldn’t be surprised if this second collection doesn’t do as well as it did in the past…

  2. Margaret says:

    I’ve heard a few wags suggest that acorns would be an appropriate contribution for this collection basket… :-)

  3. Thomas says:

    I believe I heard the bishops addressed/resolved the ACORN issue at their recent meetings.

  4. John Enright says:

    CCHD apparently made grants to ACORN related organizations in the past, but according to the USCCB, those grants were made with the permission of the local Ordinary, and directed to purposes relating to the relief of the poor. Concerns were recently aired due to ACORN’s problematic accounting system and allegations that donated funds were improperly spent.

    The November 11, 2008 Report of Bishop Roger Morin, Chairman Subcommittee on Catholic Campaign for Human Development On cchd and ACORN states the following:

    “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.”

  5. opey124 says:

    Did they give money to ACORN? You betcha. A little over a million the past few years. And they only stopped when a great scandal broke out/embezzelment, voter registration fraud, etc. They are very concerned that their tax exempt status will be pulled. I have a lot of words I would like to us…
    It is this coming weekend and we plan to put a note stating not only why we are not giving but why we should be asked period!!!
    This is wrong on so many levels. If I had known any of my money was going to stuff like this…

  6. opey124 says:

    ANd it is CHD-drop the Catholic.

  7. CCHD apparently made grants to ACORN related organizations in the past, but according to the USCCB, those grants were made with the permission of the local Ordinary, and directed to purposes relating to the relief of the poor. Concerns were recently aired due to ACORN’s problematic accounting system and allegations that donated funds were improperly spent.

    Money is fungible. Earmarking a contribution for one supposedly innocuous activity frees up unrestricted funds to pay for other activities. And the CCHD contributed over $7 million since 2000.

  8. Stu says:

    I feel no need to give to this cause if not solely because I can’t tell from the name what it is though I have my suspicions. I have defaulted into simply giving to my parish and to traditional religious orders.

  9. Rick says:

    The only way to deal with the Catholic left is to defund ’em. I give them nothing. I donate to my parish and those I see in need. The Catholic bishops get none of my cash (except what they tax from my parish).

  10. Fr. Z, up until very recently the scandal of ACORN was quite unknown. It was legitimately thought by people of good faith that they were an organization concentrating on a worthy objective of encouraging people to vote. It is my understanding that once the USCCB came to know the true nature of ACORN, the relationship between them and CCHD is now ended.

  11. Henry Edwards says:

    Following semperficatholic’s link, I found the version

    http://www.catholicmediacoalition.org/picking_pockets.htm

    that is formatted for a bit easier reading. This article — by the well-known Catholic writer Mary Ann Kreitzer — should be read by anyone who’s under the impression that the CCHD funds Catholic charitable activities and efforts. Apparently not so:

    “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.” (boldface emphasis added)

  12. Anne Gomes says:

    Hey, Fr Z, My husband and I have donated to EWTN for the spirit and to the Catholic Parish Outreach which is local for the body and are putting a note in the basket to that effect. Anneg in NC

  13. John Enright says:

    Rich Leonardi:

    I don’t dispute that at all; I agree completely. I was just pointing to the most recent CYA statement of the USCCB.

  14. opey124 says:

    We go to great extremes in order to not fund certain organizations, namely the Democratic party, etc. It is so insulting to know that our money was probably used to help get some of these people in office. Really, I think everyone should stuff all envelopes available with ACORNS. And they only stopped giving to ACORN when their tax exempt status may be pulled. NOt that the money could be used to elect and promote things contrary to our teachings.
    I am mad.

  15. Thanks, John. That’s $7 million to ACORN since 2000. It took a scandal involving investigations and indictments in 14 states to convince the CCHD to suspend funding.

  16. fortradition says:

    I am not contributing to this collection which will take place in my parish this Sunday. There is a great article on this subject at First Things by editor Fr. Richard John Neuhaus explaining that there is nothing ‘Catholic’ about this collection and that 7 million dollars was given to ACORN. I’m putting the article in the CCHD envelope with the hope that it will be informative.

  17. tradone says:

    After all of the press about ACORN, I can’t beleive that extra flyers in the church bulletin for the CCHD!
    No way!
    I no longer give to the “designated charities” that are pushed by the diocese. My trust is gone. I will give to a selected few that have proven trustworthy. There are so many needs locally, especially this time of year!

  18. John Enright says:

    Rich Leonardi:

    You really have to wonder what the CCHD (or CHD in deference to opey124) decision-makers were thinking when they decided to fund a liberal NGO with obvious preference for a pro-abortion, pro-homosexual marriage, socialist agenda. We, the people of the Church, need to get our act together.

  19. rosie says:

    Yes. They gave to ACORN and more than once. I never give to USCCB collections. Never. Neither does a single Catholic I know, and for very good reasons. We would like to be good stewards of our money. We choose who we give to and we give mightily not to anything USCCB. Dang!

    tradone is right. How could they even consider trolling for the CCHD. Shame on every diocese that does!

  20. Brian says:

    John Enright,
    If I am not mistaken, I believe that opey124’s persistent, under-stated point is that there is nothing “Catholic” (“C”-CHD) about the Campaign for Human Development (CHD) . . . not even the name.

  21. John Enright says:

    Brian:

    I know. I agree with him.

  22. Hallie says:

    You are correct. My diocese, the Austin, Texas diocese will be collecting money for the CCHD, as well. Not from me, mind you.

  23. CarpeNoctem says:

    I had the the CHD fliers pulled from my parish bulletin last weekend. This thing has kind of snuck up on me… I have always been nervous about CHD, and my own envelope has seemed to have conveniently found its way to File 13 in past years, but this being my first year as a pastor, I am actually in a position to do something about this.

    Folks at home have received an envelope labeled CHD in their monthly mailing and I really don’t have a right to unlaterally re-direct their donations to this designated collection. I think, however, that having a little 90 second informative talk before the Sunday Masses to explain that there are serious concerns about this national collection and putting pencils in the pews allowing people the option to cross out CHD and put “Catholic Charities” might not be a bad idea.

  24. James says:

    You guys are barely telling the tip of the iceberg. Wanderer also did an expose. Remnant, not a publication I’d normally recommend, did an excellent and accurate editorial recently. CCHD is not a charity organization, it’s a political organization for the most part. I have known this for years, the bishops have known this for years, anyone who’ll spend 15 minutes online following the links from his own Diocese’s website will quickly discover the sort of non-Catholic and even anti-Catholic organizations, including pro-abortion groups, that Catholics have been supporting for years and years. This is not some little slip up by naive bishops. CCHD, utter corruption and deceit. To a lesser extent this same problems even exist with Catholic Charities and the Annual Appeal.

    I have about 10 REAL Catholic charities I will support directly (NO umbrella organizations like CCHD), prolife, seminarians, missions, etc. Then, because I have a moral obligation to support my parish, I have discussed with my pastor how I can do so in good conscience. The percentage cut that goes to the bishop morally compels me to refrain from putting money in the collection plate. So I make “anonymous grants” to my parish for a specific project, for example when they needed funds for fixing roof. You can do that and it’s separate from the collection. Then ZERO of my dollars go to corrupt bishop and end up paying for someone’s abortion or a Democrat’s election campaign.

  25. Sara says:

    Because of the reasons you mentioned plus several others my parish will NOT be taking up the collection…I am anxiously awaiting to see what the local reprocussions will be…

  26. Fr. BJ says:

    I know of one priest who sends a check to the chancery for the CCHD weekend out of obedience, but does not take up the collection in the pews (so it comes out of operating expense, and is not a huge amount of money — not nearly as much might be collected if a second collection were taken up). That is one way to deal with the matter creatively. Send $1000 or something (depending on the size of the parish) and don’t take the collection. This solution avoids the people being misled into thinking that the CCHD is a worthy cause: this way they never hear about it, and never see any of the propaganda.

  27. James says:

    CarpeNoctem, good for you. Be not afraid, here’s to encourage you. My pastor gave a longer talk than 90 sconds. He never said one thing against the bishop, but he gave factual items about things CCHD has been involved with (it’s much worse than merely ACORN, but he explained ACORN too).

    Then to dramatize his point, he said he was obligated to distribute the CCHD envelopes…and after Mass as he walked out, he took an envelope and tore it into pieces!

  28. Faith says:

    I’m from the Austin diocese as well – can the bishop require parishes to put something in the bulletin about the collection or otherwise mention it at Mass? I know my pastor wouldn’t support anything of this sort, so I was very surprised to see a note in last week’s bulletin about the upcoming collection.

  29. Larry says:

    The Bishops withdrew their support for ACORN and that is a point in their favor. The problem with CHD is deeper than merely removing Catholic from the title. There simply is not a clear understanding on who gets this money and how is it spent. We need either more direct control by the Bishops personally or at least a complete list of the organizations who receive and actually use the money. I might add that Catholic Charities is another organ that needs more openess and more direct control by Bishops. Too many rumors abound about CC directing people to very un-Catholic programs. What we are faced with here is the continuation of re directing the Church after the problems that grew out of Vatican II. It has taken years for the Bishops to get a handle on Catholic Education at the primary and secondary levels and even there the results are not completely satisfactory or there would not be so many “Home-Schooled” children in Catholic families even when Cathoic Schools are close by. Check into programs before yo contribute your money to them.

  30. I watched the USCCB segment on TV. After Bishop Morin explained that all funding to ACORN ended before the 2008 FY due to an embezzlement case discovered in 2007 from some 8 years prior, there were still questions by bishops. I just watched the segment again and here are some notes, as imperfect as they may be.

    Three bishops asked questions: Bp Bruskewitz, Bp Naumann, and Bp Boyea (recently installed in Lansing, MI).

    Bishop Bruskewitz mentioned a study done years prior, along with letters, that suggested the central office was excluding Catholic charitable organizations and favoring those which were non-Catholic. He went on to say that for this reason, his diocese no longer supports it. Bp Morin said that he does not believe that is the case any more. It’s not a matter of whether an organization was Catholic or not, but whether they met definitions in terms of the work they do.

    Abp Naumann first talked about his past with community organization and he sees the importance of it. But….he raises that there is a history of problems with this collection – systemic issues. He then went on to say that his own diocesan director told him about some kind of criteria requiring that 50% of the board needing to be poor in order to qualify was not a good approach. It leaves out organizations that could use the money for good works. He said this forces them to make imperfect choices. He called for a deeper evaluation of CCHD.

    Abp Naumann then shifted gears and said that in St. Louis, they were aware of the problem with ACORN going back 10 years – precisely, he says, along the lines of what we heard in the media this year. He clarified that he wasn’t referring to the malfeasance, but the partisanship. Deflecting blame off the committee, he called again for a deeper evaluation of systemic issues given it’s current structure. “We’ve set up a system that is almost impossible to govern well…..I’m not against the intent, but I don’t think we have the right process and criteria to make it work.”

    Bp Morin only answered the first part, suggesting that the intent is to enable people most affected – those in poverty – to be involved in decision making.

    Bishop Boyea, who seemed to be quite involved in several of the segments brought up a good point in his question:

    In support of marriage in family – another piece of criteria to promote marriage and family. Apparently Bishop Morin misunderstood as he started referring to programs that benefit families (education, livable wage, keeping families together). Bp Boyea clarified, “Promoting those things and not having them as a byproduct.”

    My own thoughts turned to some of the points raised by bishops. Earlier in one of his discussions, Bp Morin mentioned the forensic accounting underway to see if funds were inappropriately used. The only caveat is that the process does not look at activities each organization is involved in. Rather, it is limited to the money trail.

    A question I have is whether any organization given money by CCHD is involved with things like giving out condoms, or is money given indirectly to Planned Parentood.

    One of the chief complaints I found online about CCHD, probably in that report Bp Bruskewitz spoke of, is that money is given to left-leaning organizations with idealogies that are not necessarily aligned with the Church’s mission.

    Here are a few references:
    the Wanderer Forum publications – see titles available
    – <a href=”http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?id=16214″Spero News: Catholic Church and Planned Parenthood Allies?

    Just the fact that ACORN, with it’s well founded left-leaning, party of death support, was getting any money at all given previous reports sent to the USCCB is beyond me.

    Here is a list of 2007 Grantees. Back to the point by Bp Bruskewitz – is there a Catholic organization on that list? Are there organizations listed that offer services or funding for things that counter Church teaching? If so, people are being led into scandal.

    I will be giving them no money. I’ll put it in something else, like Peter’s Pence.

  31. James says:

    Larry, please, “a point in their favor”?!? They stopped the funds only when they were forced to because ACORN became a top news story and scandal nationwide, and not one second before. You don’t think for the previous decade the bishops had any clue about this? A point in their favor? I’m laughing, they have been deceiving us while they support their leftist agenda. Put a picture of a starving kid on a brochure and Catholics throw in money, they trust their bishops and don’t research or ask questions. That’s how children got molested for years and years. But if I, just a Catholic in the pews, have known about CCHD for at least five years just by blogging, there is no excuse for those inside the hierarchy.

  32. I meant to provide a link to an article written by Fr. Richard John Neuhaus. In the final paragraphs, Father goes into a good discussion of CCHD.

    Go read: Obama and the Bishops by Fr. Richard J. Neuhaus

    As an aside, rumor has it that paper acorns are being stuffed into some envelopes. They shouldn’t have terminated funding to ACORN based on embezzlement. They never should have been funding them given the partisanship spoken of by Abp Naumann. I could not find them this time, but had found earlier, documents addressed to the USCCB years ago that warned them of the kind of politics ACORN was involved in.

    In Bp Morin’s defense, I believe he just stepped into his current role with CCHD.

  33. alf says:

    If our parish priests have not addressed the connection between CHD and ACORN, do you folks think it would be appropriate to put a note explaining our lack of contribution in the envelope in place of a donation?

  34. Clinton says:

    I recall an article in the National Catholic Register several years ago that pointed out that CHD had for years been giving large grants to
    the United Way. The UW does not pass on its funding to subsidiary organizations unless they abide by the UW’s policies. An example the
    article gave was that of Big Brothers/Big Sisters — an organization that pairs adult mentors with at-risk youth. The United Way forced
    BB/BS to drop its exclusion of homosexuals as mentors. Clearly this ACORN situation is nothing new — the bishops need to develop some
    commonsense criteria to insure that the hard-earned donations of everyday Catholics are not passed on to organizations that undermine
    what the Church is trying to achieve. While the people at Planned Parenthood may not have much of a moral compass, I don’t see them
    handing over money to organizations that fund pro-life groups. Perhaps the folks at the USCCB should watch and learn …

  35. One of my links was bad.

    Here is the other article which talks about my concern, that some money may be going to organizations that do good works, but are also involved in things that counter Catholic teaching.

    Spero News: CCHD and Planned Parenthood Allies?

    I won’t give money until there is a study that looks into the activities of each organization receiving money. Even if an organization promises that money will not go to certain activities in which it is involved, it gives scandal if any part of what they do is not aligned with Catholic teaching.

  36. Alf asked: If our parish priests have not addressed the connection between CHD and ACORN, do you folks think it would be appropriate to put a note explaining our lack of contribution in the envelope in place of a donation?

    In our parish, we found the CCHD envelopes out and were fairly certain our pastor would not do so. However, when several approached him and asked, given the many questions surrounding where money is going how he could put them out, he said he was mandated by the diocese.

    Needless to say, the faithful are not mandated to put anything in those envelopes. I had thought about writing a note in mine and putting it in the basket with no money.

  37. James says:

    Alf, sure! You can simply not contribute, but if you want your pastor to understand you’re concerns, then you could write a note yourself, or give him a copy of an article, say one of those linked in this discussion.

    Fr. Neuhaus is going to be considered the heaviest hitter intellectually if you want a good source (First Things), although if your priests are liberal that might not impress them, but they will get the point. The CCHD envelopes MAY not be opened at the parish, but sent directly, not sure, so if you write a note you might want to address it to him personally, in a polite way explaining you don’t feel you can support this collection.

    We ALL need to do this, in whatever way is comfortable, letter to priest, bishop, or editor of diocesan paper, stating why we are no longer letting them use our money for non-Catholic purposes.

  38. mike says:

    As we speak the black helicopters are warming up for a routine mission along the “Canadian border”

    m

  39. cthemfly25 says:

    The problem of the Marxist light agenda (its unapologetic “liberation theology” in practice)of the CCHD is not limited to that group. Indeed, it is not an institutional problem possessed by the CCHD but rather of the USCCB. Diane’s list of CCHD grantees should be illuminating. CCHD funded Alinskian radicals for decades and for a simple reason-—that is what the USCCB wanted. From its movie reviews run amock, to its lobbying for more government to fix every societal problem including centralized government health care and vocal opposition to welfare reform, to its left wing support for amnesty, to its secretive meetings with democrats on pulling out early from Iraq, the USCCB has used the CCHD intentionally to further its social[ism] agenda. The USCCB advocates every socialistic big government program lobbying its friends in the Democratic Party, and then can’t even join together to draft a forceful pro life stance prior to the election for fear it will insult those democrats on whom they depend to advocate their socialistic agenda. In many ways, the domestic policy branch of the USCCB has become organic unto itself with little to no accountability except when caught up in public intrigue and potential scandal. It is intrinsically wrong to give to political groups let alone Alinskian and Marxist radical groups.

    Is it any wonder as to what is happening with the Catholics in this country that almost 50% could justify support for a candidate who espouses nationwide recognition of homosexual marriage, human cloning and Frankenstein like embryonic research, federally subsidized abortions and abortion as a condition of foreign aid, forced redistribution of wealth and private property, open borders, and a true hatred for the virtues of the American ideal. If you have any doubt about the USCCB domestic agenda, spend some time on their website for starters and simply do some research. Acquaint yourself with their agenda.

    Ask your bishop how much each diocese is taxed for this nonsense. And then, give to the true mission of the Church. Give to those pastoral groups fighting and striving to do real charity. Shop when giving your money, your love, your charity, to the Church mission to ensure you are doing just that. There are many worthy diocesan level needs so give directly to them. Turn away from what Pope Benedict called the “mythology” of hope that some wish to find in their politics and confuse as their religion. Spend time before spending money on what is a charity which truly serves God and the Church. And, of course pray 4 bishops.

  40. tradone says:

    I rarely speak up about issues. But I couldn’t let this one go. I sent an email to the person listed in charge on the bullentin flyer.
    I simply stated that I would not be contributing because I do not believe the associations are in alignment with the Catholic Faith.
    I’m getting brave!

  41. Chris says:

    At our Mass this past Sunday in Washington, D.C., and I’m not dumb enough to say the name of the church, our priest before the sermon began announced the second collection for the CCHD. He then explained the ACORN money and basically told us we didn’t have to give to it and instead said we should earmark it for a special project in the church that is very worthy.

    Afterwards, he said he believe the CCHD relies completely on the once-a-year second collection. We both agreed it would be wonderful if the CCHD simply collapsed from a lack of funding.

    Thank God for the few holy priests left.

  42. Mary Bruno says:

    I’m so glad to read this. I looked up the grantees in the link provided by Diane and $25,000 went to ACORN in my hometown/diocese. I plan to write a letter to my pastor, bishop and local diocese newspaper. This is outrageous. I always donate something to the second and special collections, but I will definitely skip this one and find a better way of using the money. I’m not sure where I donate it, but it will go to a worthwhile place and I’ll let the pastor, bishop and newspaper know about it.

  43. James says:

    Mary, of course you have many options, but may I suggest that right now pro-life organizations particularly need support, as the election has given us a ton more issues to work on. If anyone wants to donate money to pro-life instead of CCHD, choose specifically CATHOLIC prolife organizations. Here are some of the more effective ones:

    American Life League
    Human Life International
    Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute (C-Fam)
    Priests for Life
    Project Rachel

  44. It has gotten to where I do not trust the CCA (Catholic Community Appeal) either. How do we know exactly where that money goes? I know that they say it goes to this and that good cause but where’s the proof? I don’t give to that either. There are too many great charities and organizations to donate money to and one knows exactly where the money is going and how it is used, like American Life League, Pastoral del Amor, Missionaries of Charity etc. We probably all have friends or family that could use a charitable donation as well. Charity begins at home.

  45. Larry says:

    James,
    Pardon me; but, are you judging the moral guilt of bishops here? Who are you to judge them? While you are L(ing)OL consider that it is you and me and them who will be judged on how we helped the poor. “Leftist agenda” applied to Catholic Bishops is over the top. Are you planning on holding on to your last FDR dime to see if yuo can call your lawyer on Judgement Day? Forget it!

  46. Chris says:

    Larry: “Pardon me; but, are you judging the moral guilt of bishops here?”

    Now I don’t think I have to defend James here, and he certainly doesn’t seem like an extremist since he doesn’t like one of the only Catholic papers, the Remnant, left on Earth, but I will anyway.

    You don’t think the bishops as a whole have a leftist agenda? Before it became cool this year, they (meaning a majority) said barely a word for years on abortion, they preach near anarchy on illegal immigration, they teach liberation theology like it’s equal with the Trinity, they fought the Traditional Latin Mass for decades, they supressed the traditional Faith for nearly a century, they cover up and hide Humanae Vitae all while they protect homosexual child abusers.

    Where, besides with a few of them, can you find anything but an immoral, leftist agenda?

    I haven’t given to a single second collection in years and I’m not going to any time soon. If you think the CCHD and ACORN are it I’ve got a bridge for sale.

  47. Leticia T. says:

    Color your own acorn, suitably sized for collection envelopes:

    http://www.freeprintablecoloringpages.net/samples/Plants_And_Flowers/Acorn.png

  48. chironomo says:

    A Leftist Agenda is a Leftist Agenda, whether it is a leftist Politician or a leftist Bishop supporting it… makes no real difference. And yes…there are such things as leftist Bishops, and calling them so is not “judging” them….

  49. Steve K. says:

    Father Z, or anyone, a question:

    Is a priest required to allow the collection for CHD to take place? It was announced last Sunday that this Sunday there would be a third collection taken up for CHD (we always have a second for the building fund for our lovely new chapel at St. Benedict’s – check it out over at NLM). I don’t know if Father knows all the shenanigans having to do with CHD, so I was planning to warn him, just in case; but this is a wasted effort perhaps if he is required to take up a collection for CHD?

    Thanks

  50. James says:

    Larry, yes, I am judging them. No I cannot read their hearts. But, I can condemn their actions. In fact, I’m morally compelled to do so as a Catholic when those actions clearly and persistently either violate Church teaching, or lead my fellow Catholics into error, or even actual physically endanger innocent human lives and safety.

    You are correct I cannot condemn them en masse. I could name names, but I won’t in this forum. I readily, even ecstatically, admit there are good bishops, perhaps even a few saintly ones, and the prospect of more if Sambi and Pope Benedict pick carefully as the older ones retire.

    Thank you for the reminder of my obligation to help the poor. My conscience is clear in that regard, and astonishingly, did you know there are hundreds of ways to help the poor without giving a single dime to a single diocesan collection?!

    As for my choice of the word that so shocked you, “leftist,” others here, notably “cthemfly25” above, perhaps speak more eloquently than I. He hits the nail right on the head.

    If you don’t know these things, Larry, you apparently have the innocent childlike nature recommended by Christ, and I compliment you on your obvious spiritual superiority to me in that regard.

    Humbly yours, James

  51. TNCath says:

    Oh yes, Father, the CHD collection is alive and well in our diocese and will be taken up with gusto next Sunday. In fact, it will be announced just after the General Intercessions and right before the offertory: a liturgical commercial break, if you will. Very sad.

  52. Lee Gilbert says:

    Since most do not have acorns, word is going round that peanuts are also an effective way of saying, “Nuts to this!”

  53. Tzard says:

    So, the second collection is organized or approved by certain bishops under their own authority, it seems. Is that why we’re going to be asked again this coming Sunday?

    And, since the USCCB have voted to cease giving money to this organization, we’ve been giving *twice*? Am I right they get a whole second collection plus, of the separate money each diocese sends to the Conference – a part of that also funded them??? I guess I don’t understand how things work.

  54. Charivari Rob says:

    Rosie – “I never give to USCCB collections. Never. Neither does a single Catholic I know, and for very good reasons. We would like to be good stewards of our money. We choose who we give to and we give mightily not to anything USCCB.”

    Aren’t things like World Mission Sunday, Black and Indian Mission Fund, and Peter’s Pence also USCCB collections? Are you sure you aren’t throwing the baby out with the bath water?

    Rob

  55. Ian Power says:

    >>”peanuts are also an effective way of saying, “Nuts to this”

    Good job Lee. Jericho fan much?

  56. Joan Moore says:

    “Aren’t things like World Mission Sunday, Black and Indian Mission Fund, and Peter’s Pence also USCCB collections? Are you sure you aren’t throwing the baby out with the bath water?”

    Well, I cannot answer about World Mission Sunday or Black and Indian Mission Fund, but Peter’s Pence is collected by the diocese and it goes directly to Rome – hence the name “Peter’s Pence”. If does not fund anything any bishops conference selected charity.

  57. Raymundus says:

    I don’t like how vague the name is. “Catholic Campaign for Human Development.” Reminds me of that Seinfeld episode, when George was handing out cards to his co-workers that read, “Twenty dollars has been donated in your name to The Human Fund.”

  58. Andrew says:

    The collection is this Sunday in my parish. I am going to follow Fr. Neuhaus’ advice posted by Fr Z earlier.

  59. Printable cards at my ‘dissent busting’ blog Fidelity and Action. The page of cards reads, “This is a boycott. No funding of socialist programs. No dollars for CCHD!”

    “Do not be afraid but speak and do not be silent.”—-Acts 18:9

  60. Printable cards at my ‘dissent busting’ blog Fidelity and Action. The page of cards reads, “This is a boycott. No funding of socialist programs. No dollars for CCHD!”

    “Do not be afraid but speak and do not be silent.”——Acts 18:9

  61. Thanks to all of you who are concerned about the CCHD collection. Actually the word Catholic was ADDED to the title of the “charity” after Paul Likoudis’ booklet was published in the mid 90s. As for ACORN being defunded that may be true at the NATIONAL level, but not necessarily at the local level. In the Archdiocese of Baltimore, a large ad listing the grantees for the upcoming collection showed the national ACORN grants on hold. However, a local grant to Baltimore County ACORN for $10,000 was not marked as being on hold. So has all funding been stopped? It’s questionable. Local areas need to begin following these groups to see what they are actually doing. Most look for big government solutions and grant money often goes to pay large salaries for the organizers. This is NOT ABOUT HELPING THE POOR! Pro-life congressman Bob Dornan from California was replaced by rabid pro-abortionist Loretta Sanchez with the help of the CCHD. Obama is not the only pro-abortion beneficiary of the bogus charity. I’d be happy to send the Baltimore ad to anyone interested. You can reach me through my website http://www.lesfemmes-thetruth.org

    Mary Ann Kreitzer

  62. Romulus says:

    A pastor I know is required to take a collection for CHD, but is going to introduce some hurdles. The requisite envelopes will be available, but only in the narthex of the church. Indeed, they may be somewhat scarce. Contributions not enclosed in the designated envelope will go to the parish’s building fund.

  63. Larry says:

    James,
    Yes as a matter of fact I do know of many ways to help the poor without giving through defective Church organizations. I long ago gave up listening to the USCCB and its’ former incarnation. Cardinal Ratzinger spoke on National Bishops’ Conferences several years ago. My point was that things are indeed changing even at the USCCB. Good Bishops are speaking up. Good translations, for which we must have a National Bishops’ Conference, are coming. Several people on this thread have referred to historic problems of serious issues like abortion, contraception which were not addressed as fully and authoritatively as they should have been by the Bishops both in the Conference and in their own home Diocese where they do have authority. The issue of abuse is far too complicated to cast all the bishops in the smae pot. In many cases the bishops who failed are not the bishops who are bishops today. As to the issue of Illegal Immigrants the only defense I have heard is based on not braking up families and treating all persons as human. No one is Illegal unless he has been judged so by a court of law. That is our Constituional gurantee. Or should we start calling those accused of reckless driving as illegal drivers and those accused of be crooked businessmen as being illegal busninessman. Person accused of being in this Country without proper documentation are just that–accused. To borrow from another group painted with a broad brush: Hate is not a Catholic Virtue.

    Hopefully as the years go by things will continue to improve as regards not only the Conference but indiviual bishops as well. This will happen as Catholics in the pews use the Catechism and Church documents to educate themselves and their children. It will happen as the new generation of Catholics who attend really authentic Catholic Colleges and Universites find their way into our schools, businesses, and governament. It will not happen if Catholics hunker down in anger and refuse to note that God’s sun rises every morning and that we are obliged to go out and do our daily work to establish the Kingdom.

    One last thing it is no longer CCHD and hasn’t been for several years. It is CHD so pay attention and be wise in what you support and don’t support.

  64. Clinton says:

    It will be interesting to see if this controversy has much of an effect on CHD’s take for this year. How soon do you think the USCCB will
    have figures published?

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