English Catholic charity will not accept profits from employee's book
October 01, 2013
The overseas charity sponsored by the Catholic bishops of England and Wales has announced that it will not accept the royalties from a controversial book by the group’s director of communications.
Damian McBride, the author of Power Trip, a political memoir based on his experiences as an aide to former British chancellor Gordon Brown, had offered the proceeds from his book to the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD). But criticism of the book—which included descriptions of rough political tactics and personal attacks on opponents—led CAFOD to decline the offer.
McBride, who has been director of communications for CAFOD since 2001, said that he understood the decision by the group’s trustees. “I can only apologise for the critical and unfair associations made between the book and Cafod’s work over the last fortnight,” he said.
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Posted by: chady -
Oct. 02, 2013 8:12 AM ET USA
This decision must have been difficult in one sense for the charity. Chris Bane CEO for CAFOD [Catholic Herald 27/09/13]"CAFOD recruited and employs Damian based on who he is today, not who he was in the past and it would go against all Catholic values..the belief in forgiveness and redemption..Damian acknowledges the significant changes he has gone through in the book." McBride adds in The Catholic Herald article that he understands why donors had concerns about the money from book royalties.
