A defense of CCHD
'Letter from the Archdiocese of Chicago Office of Peace and Justice and the Campaign for Human Development:
'The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) is the domestic social justice, antipoverty program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Its goal is to break the cycle of poverty through empowerment initiatives and justice education. Throughout its 40-year history, CCHD has given thousands of people in the Archdiocese of Chicago the opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty and live in dignity.
'Recently, CCHD has come under attack from certain groups whose motivations and objectives are rooted in partisan politics, rather than faithfulness to Catholic teaching and concern for the poor.
Well not exactly. The criticism about CCHD had almost entirely come from Catholics faithful to the Magisterium upset about money supporting organizations which have a dim view of actual Catholic teaching. The criticism has not been coming from any political groups, but individuals consisting of Catholic bloggers and others. The fact that the Democratic party is so-linked with the Culture of Death and thus any criticism gets linked linked to partisanship instead of faithfulness to the Church and her mission. It is our faithfulness to Catholic teaching that makes us upset when CCHD funds go to organizations supporting abortion, contraceptions, and homosexual acts. We want money to actually go to the poor and not groups that will used it for culture of death advocacy. We have an equal love for the poor and it is quite uncharitable of you to assume we don't and to frame our faithfulness to Church teaching as playing politics.
These groups have gone so far as to call for the elimination of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, making erroneous and inflammatory statements about the program, its supporters, and the projects it funds. Despite efforts on the part of the CCHD staff to reach out to these critics and respond to their concerns, anti-CCHD rhetoric has only become more fervent and hateful, and the time has come to rally in defense of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.
So where is the mention of the report that lead to the withdrawal of funding for multiple groups CCHD has been supporting for years? If we did not raise our voices CCHD would still be materially cooperating with that evil. Besides some groups still receiving CCHD funds are beyond problematic. It was only recently that money to ACORN was stopped after years of support even though ACORN's legal problems are nothing new.
'As members of the Catholic community and followers of Christ, we are impelled to protect the poor and vulnerable of our society. We are called to pursue not only charity but justice, and to 'set at liberty the oppressed.' (Lk 4:18) Those who are trying to destroy the Catholic Campaign for Human Development deny the legitimate and pressing need for a faithful response to poverty in our communities. We must not allow the deceitful cries of these detractors, whose partisan agendas supersede their faith, to weaken our commitment to living out the message of Christ and the ideals of Catholic Social Teaching.
And I can do all of that without contributing one dime to CCHD. My parish has a soup kitchen and there are plenty of local Catholic organizations actually helping the poor that I can contribute to. I don't have to have my money funneled via CCHD to dubious organizations to help the poor. CCHD has shown very poor judgment over the years and I can't see a single reason for it to continue to exist. The fortress mentality instead of admitting some of the major problems does not advance the cause of promoting the CCHD. Maybe that argument can be made, but I haven't heard it yet.
On November 21-22, the annual collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development will take place in parishes across the Archdiocese of Chicago. The money collected during that weekend will go directly to funding projects in impoverished communities throughout the city. Now, more than ever, it is imperative that we counter the lies being spread about CCHD. Take a stand against injustice; break the cycle of poverty; support the Catholic Campaign for Human Development!
'In Christ's love,
'Rey Flores, Program Director, Catholic Campaign for Human Development
'Nicole Wooldridge, Program Assistant, Catholic Campaign for Human Development
'Nicholas Lund-Molfese, Director, Office for Peace and Justice Adrienne Curry, Program Director, Catholic Relief Services
Once again we get the vague "lies" without pointing to something being said that is factually incorrect. If there are actually lies being told, please inform us of the truth.
I would also like to know why the issues on your web site include the economy, capital punishment, war, housing and other aspects of Catholic social teaching and not a word on the greatest threat of our times of abortion? How in the world can this be left off your list? And please don't tell us - well the Respect Life Office handles that part. At the least include abortion on your list and link it to the Respect Life Office of the diocese. As long as the social justice offices treat the pro-life cause as the relative they don't want to talk about, then don't be surprised when we are dubious of your efforts.
Matt C. Abbott has replies from ALL and HLI on this.
Site: Reform the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.
Known as 
Wow, that letter is harsh. All the objections I have heard about the CCHD is not to eliminate it, but to reform it. I sure hope they use money they earn to fund at least some charities that are faithful to the Church. The authors of this letter seem more hateful than those who object CCHD. Just my opinion...
And it drives me BONKERS that social jusice groups in certain parishes or organizations don't address the case of abortion. HELLO?!
Thanks for this post!
"Empowerment Initiatives?" Blech...
As you said, there are Catholic organizations and individuals who are directly helping the poor.
I know that my parish is giving this the absolute minimum (and none too enthusiastic) promotion expected. (The box of promotional fliers from CCHD has sat in my office for several weeks - like some sort of stinky cheese - only opened today.)
"Issues, projects, and task forces"
or so says the Arch's news release (
http://www.archchicago.org/news_releases/news_2009/news_111109.shtm)
I hate to be so cynical, but I think the money could be put to much better use!
The Catholic Church should abandon its travesty of interest in social justice and reduction of poverty. They should concentrate on what they are really interested in, perpetuating the autocratic patriarchy of effete, closeted, "celibate" clergy and keeping the hard fought, secular rights of women and their children from permeating into Catholic life.
The sooner this happens, the sooner all Catholics of conscience, seeking to build healthy families, will realize that they are not in communion with God but a diseased nest of vile imposters and leave.
You can call it Calumny. It is nothing more than painful truth.
reddog:
So nearly two millennia of education, hospitals, alms, and other social outreach is a mere facade?
I took the opportunity to look at your blog. Based on that and your comments here, I have the strong impression that you are a sad and bitter individual.
You may despise my prayers for you, but you have them...
In keeping with subsidiarity, and act locally, think globally (or is it the reverse?) contribute food to St. Vincent de Paul at your parish, donate to a Catholic pregnancy center, give to the Church in Need, write a note with your check for the retired siters fund on 12-14 insisting that not a penny goes to an order in obedience to the Pope...See, we can make a difference. Oh, and pray for those who persecute us, a sign we the Church was founded by the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
We have a similar problem in Canada. The Catholic organization for Developement and Peace is funding groups which promote abortion. Pro-life groups have issued protest and called on the bishops to rectify the situation.
In response, CCODP issued a similar statement to the one you made and said they were being falsely accused of funding abortion. (no such accusation was made)
The Canadian bishops launched an investigation, gave CCODP a clean bill of health, found that the allegation of funding abortions was without basis.
Meanwhile the funding for abortion advocacy groups continues. The difference between US Social Justice and Canadian Social Justice is that in your country, they complain when the bishops reign them in. But in Canada the bishops back them up and reign in the pro-life groups.
Thank you, Jeff, for taking the time to blog about this issue. I have recently become aware of it and have encountered incredulity when I have shared it with long-time orthodox Catholics. Your entry is perfect for sharing with those who typically don't take the time to research where they 'dump their dolars,' trusting 'Catholic' in the organization title.
Let's not forget that our esteemed president has been publicly (in Newsweek magazine) judged as being more Catholic than the Pope by one of those wonderful Kennedys. Hmm. I guess we could say CCHD is as Catholic as the president by that measure. (Sigh).
"At the least include abortion on your list and link it to the Respect Life Office of the diocese."
There is a link under resources to the Respect Life Office on their website.
http://www.archchicago.org/departments/peace_and_justice/peace_and_justice.shtm
Khrushchev, a more contemporary Soviet prime minister, said: "We cannot expect Americans to jump from capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving Americans doses of socialism until they suddenly awake to find out they have Communism.''
http://www.marianland.com/marx01.html
The reason the Office for Peace and Justice does not have abortion on its website is because the Archdiocese of Chicago has it's own Pro-Life Office, which deals with abortion, euthanasia, stem-cell research, and chastity.
But you do raise an interesting point. Why not have ONE office that deals with all issues of Catholic Social Teaching? Then there would be no need for this divide between the issues dealt with by the OPJ, and by the RLO. Or maybe you think the Church should ignore the issues of capital punishment, nuclear war, torture, racism, human trafficking, etc. until abortion is outlawed? Abortion may be the most important issue, but it by no means is the only one.
Good for you; standing up to the Pope and the Bishops! That's something new and refreshing here in the American Catholic Church; lay people who think they know better than the Bishops. You're a right trailblazer you are.