CCHD critics raise new questions on grants to radical groups

November 05, 2010

Just two weeks after the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) released new guidelines designed to silence its critics, the Reform CCHD Now coalition (RCN) has charged that the guidelines themselves applaud a CCHD grant to an organization with strong ties to pro-abortion and pro-homosexual activism.

The RCN—which led an energetic public campaign last year, pleading for an end to CCHD funding of groups that promote causes incompatible with Catholic social teaching—pointed to a grant to the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a group that has formed coalitions and partnerships with advocates of legal abortion and same-sex unions. The grant was mentioned in the CCHD’s “Renewal” document as an example of the work done by the US bishops’ official anti-poverty agency. “The CIW's participation with these groups directly violates the CCHD Renewal document’s restriction on participating in coalitions which have positions or actions which contradict fundamental Catholic moral and social teaching,” said Rob Gasper, founder of RCN member.

“The very idea that the CCHD would praise CIW in a document that apologizes for funding pro-abortion, pro-homosexual organizations in the past and promises to make a stronger effort to avoid doing so in the future seriously undermines their credibility,” said Michael Hichborn, a researcher for RCN.

 

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Further information:

• CCHD Coalition Finds Radical Group Featured in Bishop's Renewal Document; Urges Delay of Annual Collection (Pewsitter)
• Reform CCHD Now Report
• Catholic Campaign for Human Development Promotes Pro-Abortion Group (LifeNews)
• CCHD proposes reforms in answer to critics (CWN, 10/26)