USCCB defends, endorses Catholic Relief Services
September 12, 2013
The bishops who serve on the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have defended the work of Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
“In recent weeks some groups have raised questions about this extraordinary witness to the Gospel of life,” the committee said in a statement about CRS, the conference’s relief and development agency. “They have raised allegations about CRS’ adherence to Church teaching and its identity as a Catholic institution.”
“It is and has been CRS’ policy never to distribute or promote artificial contraceptives or abortifacients or to promote abortion,” the statement continued. “CRS has a careful vetting system to ensure that its activities and partnerships with other groups or governments are forms of cooperation that do not violate Catholic teaching. As CRS’ work necessitates collaboration with a broad network of partners in complex environments with a regularly changing focus, this system is constantly reviewed and updated.”
“We want to make it clear that those making these public critiques, albeit, we hope, in good faith, do not speak for the Catholic Church and we advise the Catholic faithful to exercise caution and consult the CRS website for clarification before endorsing or giving credence to the groups’ critiques,” the bishops added. “At the same time, we do urge the Catholic faithful to continue to support Catholic Relief Services.”
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Further information:
- Bishops Endorse CRS Work For Poorest, Most Vulnerable (USCCB)
- Support For Catholic Relief Services: A Statement Of The Administrative Committee Of The U.S. Conference Of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)
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Posted by: unum -
Sep. 13, 2013 3:55 AM ET USA
The bishops say, “CRS has a careful vetting system to ensure that its activities and partnerships with other groups or governments are forms of cooperation that do not violate Catholic teaching." CRS has funded a number of groups that oppose Church teaching over the years, but the bishops seem unwilling to recognize and deal with that fact. They are asking us to trust CRS but the record shows no "careful vetting system" for the groups that they fund.
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Posted by: Minnesota Mary -
Sep. 12, 2013 7:29 PM ET USA
Well,CRS won't be getting anymore money from me, but then again, the bishops don't rely on the people in the pews for funding anymore. They get most of their largesse from the government trough.
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Posted by: [email protected] -
Sep. 12, 2013 7:19 PM ET USA
CRS has shown to have had its hands in the anti-Catholic cookie jar so many times that the USCCB defense reminds one of the defense for all the sexual abuse actions. CRS should not be supported at it gets many government grants and one knows where that leads.
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Posted by: Defender -
Sep. 12, 2013 10:23 AM ET USA
And the bishops can never be wrong...
