Catholic Campaign for Human Development aims collection at economic crisis

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Bishop Roger Morin

Washington D.C., Oct 21, 2009 / 06:14 am (CNA).- This year’s Collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) is intended to help struggling families in the midst of the national economic crisis, the U.S. bishops’ conference says.

The Collection, which has as its theme “Families are struggling. Faith is Calling,” will be held in most Catholic parishes the weekend of November 21-22, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) reports.

The USCCB said that many face insecurity in employment, health care and retirement. The U.S. Census estimates there are 39.8 million people in poverty in the U.S., an increase of almost three million over the previous year.

Bishop of Biloxi, Mississippi Roger Morin, who chairs the USCCB Subcommittee on CCHD, described the purpose of the campaign’s “crucial” mission: “To uplift and embolden all who are one layoff or one medical scare away from the poverty line—and all who are already there.”

Bishop Morin has written a letter inviting parishes to be as generous as possible. Citing Lk. 4:18, he said Catholics are called “to bring glad tidings to the poor…to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.” This call is “more important than ever before,” he added.

The CCHD says it has embodied Catholic social teaching through its nearly 40 years of existence. In its mission to pursue justice and to uphold the dignity of the human person, the USCCB says, the CCHD has funded community groups that create affordable housing, obtain fair wages, provide job training, and organize communities to seek local solutions to improve their neighborhoods.

CCHD-supported groups include the Florida group Faith and Action for Strength Together (FAST), a network of parishes and other congregations working on issues related to education, transportation and affordable housing.

The Chicago-based Progress Center for Independent Living reportedly empowers those with disabilities through mentoring, disability rights training, outreach, and community organizing and advocacy.

In Baltimore the United Workers Association (UWA) organizes low-wage workers to seek better wages and working conditions. According to the USCCB, the UWA’s campaign at Camden Yards Stadium resulted in a wage increase for cleaners from less than $4.50 per hour in 2003 to the state’s living wage of $11.30 per hour.

The Movimiento por Justicia en El Barrio, based in Harlem, New York City, works with over 400 mainly Mexican immigrant members to focus on tenant issues. It is also involved in negotiations with the Mexican Consulate to improve services for New York City’s Mexican immigrant population.

Some CCHD grantees have been controversial. In 2008 the USCCB defunded the community organizing group Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) following allegations that some of its members were involved in voter fraud.

The self-described Catholic grassroots group Bellarmine Veritas Ministry (BVM) also uncovered evidence that some CCHD grantees were involved in advocacy for abortion, contraceptive distribution, and same-sex “marriage.”

In September 2009 the CCHD announced that it had begun to defund at least two of the accused groups and said it was investigating other groups accused of advocating for positions and activities that contradicted Catholic teaching and CCHD grant regulations.

Comments: 25

Subscriber comments:

Published by: BillW
IL 11/04/2009 10:58 PM EST

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. 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. 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 supercede their faith, to weaken our commitment to living out the message of Christ and the ideals of Catholic Social Teaching. 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!

Published by: Mary Ann Kreitzer
Woodstock, VA 10/25/2009 06:00 PM EST

Join the CCHD boycott. Go to YouTube and do a search on CCHD. There's an excellent two-minute video published by the Catholic Media Coalition. CCHD has a long and abusive history including their educational grants that radicalize Catholics in the pew. It's time to cut them off at the knees. Check out the YouTube video.

Published by: Stephany
Tx 10/25/2009 12:49 PM EST

Note To Fr. Zatalava, Certainly Jesus spoke of the wheat and the chaff, but where does He say that the chaff must be fertilized, watered and encouraged to grow by funds collected in our churches? Do not the Spiritual works of mercy call upon one to challenge this fund? The history of the CCHD is that this fund was set specifically for the activities of Alinsky's IAF organizing in the parishes. It was then catholic supported, without full disclosure of what the organizers were actually up to. Now the "organizers" have morphed into an arm of a political party, are not an entity of the church, but simply use the parishes as bases of recruitment and the funding that supports their activities. Their positions stand in direct opposition to the clear and constant teaching of our Faith. So why shouldn't catholics raise legitimate questions as to why this fund continues? Does supporting the CCHD mitigate the death of the thousands of unborn, or does it mitigate the damage to the souls of those who aid and abet? Jesus will certainly sort it all out, but turning a blind eye to what is being done while draped in a "cloak of morality" may be something we will someday have to justify before God.

Published by: kathy
Chicago, Il 10/24/2009 08:00 AM EST

Fr. Zatalava, If you are saying that nothing is perfect, that is fine. BUT that is really a cheap shot to hint that people who oppose giving money to CCHD are on Zoloft. I hope that is not what you are saying. While we are mandated by Jesus to help those in need, I do not believe the mandate includes giving to a particular group such as CCHD. We were all given free will by our Creator. I assume that same free will enables us to give where we see fit.

Published by: Patrick Minnis
Yorktown, VA 10/23/2009 11:16 PM EST

I agree wholeheartedly with the deductions of Mike Minnis below.

Published by: Fr. J.D. Zatalava
Altoona, PA USA 10/22/2009 07:29 PM EST

Seemingly having exercised due diligence in moderating the overall activity of the (necessarily) weak and fallible human bureaucracy of the CCHD, Bishop Roger Morin should be celebrated rather than castigated for his leadership under difficult circumstances. When our first bishops (the 12 Apostles) confronted Jesus about how to do good works in this bad world, “He proposed another parable to them (Mat 13:24). The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 26 When the crop grew and bore fruit, weeds appeared as well. 27 The slaves of the householder came to him and said, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?'28 He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' His slaves said, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' 29 He replied, 'No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, "First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.'" Constant vigilance is essential but exercising it is no guarantee of perpetual success. Individual watch dog critics of this program (and it certainly needs them)should remember that every time they pay for their Zoloft, a portion of their dollars support the structure which provides their daughters with Preven and Plan B. Do all you can do, but realize you can’t do it all. At some point it becomes Matthew 13 matter.

Published by: Marilyn
Tyler/Tx/USA 10/22/2009 05:07 PM EST

Thank God that Catholics are speaking out against the CCHD funding! Saul Alinsky & Fr. Jack Egan established the CCHD to use the Catholic Church to fund and organize their radical socialist agenda! The CCHD still gives 16%of funds to Industrial Areas Foundation, founded by Alinsky; plus the Gamaliel Foundation, PICO, DART, and other groups that have highjacked Catholic teaching. How can we let all Catholics know where their money is going? We MUST abolish the CCHD!

Published by: Francis Xavier T
Washington, D.C. 10/22/2009 03:33 PM EST

Dan in Calgary, thanks for sharing. Jean-Pierre Chacon, you wrote a very interesting paragraph. Thanks.

Published by: Stephany
Tx 10/22/2009 10:08 AM EST

These groups are simply leeches, taking money from unsuspecting Catholics to fund partisan activities, such as electing the most pro abortion president in history. Their activity ramps up during election time. I put stones in their envelope last year and wrote my bishop. Their envelope should not be included in the pack. Many good organizations struggle due to lack of funding, yet the Bishops take a collection to give to those working in direct opposition to Catholic teaching. In Jesus Name, I ask "Why?" They do not help the poor. THEY TEACH AGITATION! There is plenty of evidence of that. We are called to help the poor. These groups exploit the poor to gain political power. Obama is a shining example of that. Dreading the irritation that will arise when the collection basket is passed for this fund. Lord, please help us.

Published by: Jean-Pierre Chacon
Miami, FL 10/22/2009 12:57 AM EST

Last year I sent the envelope back with a letter stating my feelings. This year, a couple of other organizations have been identified. If you take the time to go through the list of recipients for 2009 and google their names and visit their websites as I have done for the past two days, you would feel dizzy from all the leftist propagandist lingo. It's almost boiler plate. Further digging and you wind up with Alinsky, the IAF and the Archdiocese of Chicago and liberation theology. Father Mitch Pacwa recalled being trained using Alinsky's techniques when he was a seminarian in Chicago back in the 60s. We need to kill this fund. Notice how they added how many priests and parishes are involved in the funds. There is a tally on the CCHD website. This is to try to counter the argument that Catholic groups can't obtain funding. Go and read the list of grantees and tell me which one is Catholic. Not one. In order to receive money, you may not be an eclessial community and the boards of the group must contain half involuntary poor individuals. Clergy and religious are defined as voluntarily poor so they don't fit the bill. Rather than not send the envelope, I heard it suggested elsewhere that you put one penny in there because then they know you disapprove.

Published by: Frankly
Phoenix, AZ, USA 10/21/2009 11:39 PM EST

No thanks. My contributions will go to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and other worthwhile charities whom I am more certain will help those in need.

Published by: Michael S
Arkansas 10/21/2009 07:36 PM EST

Any organization that has the word "worker" in it does not deserve any money from anyone. They are universally a democratic socialist organization. There are too many organizations that are performing the social good and to choose one out of many is nearly impossible for fear of making the wrong decision. I clearly cannot give money this year due to the ACORN scandal that happened last year and just recently. Sometime moral decisions take precedence over social good, especially when it involves the USCCB.

Published by: Nicholas Beck
Savage, MD 10/21/2009 06:22 PM EST

I will not donate one dime to the CCHD, and I will encourage my friends and family to do the same. The only thing I will place in the collection basket will be a note explaining my refusal to contribute. Only when the USCCB stops funding left-wing political organizations under the guise of social justice will I offer funds.

Published by: Gabriel Austin
Los Alamos NM USA 10/21/2009 04:51 PM EST

I thought the emphasis of catholic actions is subsidiarity. I interpret this as giving to the local groups who help the poor where we can sense the benefits of our giving. The USCCB is not a "super-Catholic" group. It is merely a bureaucratic organization, saving [preventing?] the bishops from having to act in their own dioceses.

Published by: Jamie
Newcastle, WY 82701 10/21/2009 03:59 PM EST

-you Bishops should quit taking money from the Government and get rid of your tax exemption status---YOU are defaming the Catholic Church---how can you support a government that supports KILLING the innocent---Shame on you USCCB--I'm not giving a dime to any charitable organization connected to the government-ie; ACORN, CCHD, etc...

Published by: Dan in Calgary
Calgary Alberta Canada 10/21/2009 03:36 PM EST

To my American friends - we have a similar scandal in Canada, known as the "Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace." An international charity arm of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, it has been recently caught red-handed employing leftist pro-abortion groups as its proxies for the distribution of aid in Latin America. This has gone to the point where some of the local Bishops in Latin America have found it necessary to write to our Canadian Bishops, demanding that we Canadians stop funding pro-abortion groups in their back yard! Leftist politics have corrupted the shepherd. Dan in Calgary

Published by: Mike Minnis
Edmond, OK, USA 10/21/2009 03:16 PM EST

The claims Bishop Morin makes in his letter are dubious.Any serious pre-grant investigation would have discovered that the CCHD funded groups were not appropriate grantees of Catholic monies. ACORN has been bad for years and anyone who did even a cursory review would have discovered it. "We * * * assure you that the CCHD Subcommittee and staff take seriously any allegation that groups we fund are not in compliance with Catholic teaching, or are participating in partisan political activity." They admit that they discontinued funding groups supporting anti-Catholic positions ONLY when a third party brought it to their attention and that this is the third year they have discontinued funding ACORN after $7.3 million went out the door. The empirical evidence belatedly supply does not support claims of serious monitoring of CCHD grantees. "CCHD is deeply integrated into the life of the Catholic community. For example, in 2008, CCHD funded groups involved • 683 Catholic priests • 776 Catholic parishes • 18 Catholic Charities agencies" The use of the word "involved" is intended to imply that the funding is going for Catholic projects when in fact none is and can be consistent with CCHD guidelines. Again this is misleading, fraudulent propaganda that underscores why CCHD and similar Catholic projects should be terminated. If you lie and tell half truths to prospective donors, you cannot be carrying on mission of Christ who is TRUTH. •

Published by: david
ny,ny,usa 10/21/2009 02:26 PM EST

there are many deserving catholic charities out there, the cchd is not one of them. the us bishops would screw up a free lunch.

Published by: Monica O'Neill
Yonkers, NY 10/21/2009 01:32 PM EST

The only time I let the basket pass me by at Church is for CCHD. Additionally, I will scrutenize ANY other USCCB request before I give money. Obviously the Bishops and their committees/staff do not know how to properly distribute the money I give to send to truly worthwhile causes.

Published by: Tom Morris
Edmond/Oklahoma 10/21/2009 01:04 PM EST

How can the CCHD point to the economy to try to touch the heartstrings of American Catholics, when they will do nothing more than give our money to the same old community organizers? This organization is not only dishonest, their grantees are not even allowed to be Catholic.

Published by: James Swinnen
New Orleans, LA USA 10/21/2009 11:39 AM EST

Sorry, Bishop Morin. I will once again withhold my check when the CCHD comes calling. Christ does not call me to tender my money to improvident bureaucrats at the USCCB who cannot distinguish the good works we are called to do by Christian charity from the "do gooderism" embodied in Community Organizing and political strong arming. I will make my contribution to a specific arm of the local archdiocese that I know performs charitable work for the sake of the Kingdom to come and not for the sake of Caesar.

Published by: Steve
Boston/MA 10/21/2009 11:19 AM EST

Anyone would have to be insane to contribute to CCHD after the revelations of use of funds for ACORN and promoting abortion. The Bishops just don't seem to be able to manage their own programs in conformance with Catholic teaching. Sad.

Published by: John J
Falls Chruch, Virginia 10/21/2009 08:46 AM EST

Your Excellency Bishop Roger Morin, I think you should step down and let John Jenkins of Nortre Dame University to lead the CCHD

Published by: Francis Xavier T
Washington, D.C. 10/21/2009 08:43 AM EST

CCHD thinks that we have forgotten how many millions of dollars of our donation money they gave to the ACORN to help Obama to become the President of The United States, not to the poors. Good job, Catholic News Agency. You have reported the whole truth.

Published by: kathy
chicago 10/21/2009 06:24 AM EST

Begun to defund? No, thanks. I'll put my money elsewhere.

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