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Still awaiting CCHD grantee list for 2011 October 29, 2010

Posted by Tantumblogo in Abortion, Dallas Diocese, General Catholic, scandals.
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Every year, the problematic Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) takes a collection at almost every parish in the country on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  In the past, CCHD has released their list of groups to be funded for the next year around the end of August, giving time for folks to review the list and, perhaps, adjust their contribution accordingly.  Apparently, that has not occurred this year, and we more than likely will not have a grantee list until AFTER the collection date.  In addition, CCHD announced new structural reforms to prevent the funding of groups with agendas antithetical to the Doctrine of the Faith (for instance, supporting abortion, gay marriage, contraception, etc).  During this announcement, CCHD stated that only 5 or 6 “problem” groups had had to be de-funded in the past year.  This small number being an attempt to minimize the perception of any consistent deviance from Catholic Doctrine at CCHD.  American Life League reminds us that with only 5-6 defunded, dozens of potential “problem” groups remain:

“In its ‘Review and Renewal’ documents, the CCHD repeatedly says that 5 out of 270 grantees were defunded last year. However, on page 6 of its “Responses to Questions about CCHD Grantmaking” document, the CCHD itself lists 6 grantees that were “defunded because they took actions or positions in conflict with Catholic teaching”: the Rebecca Project for Human Rights, the Chinese Progressive Association, Young Workers United, Washington Community Action Network, Preble Street Homeless Voices and Los Angeles Community Action Network.

“Additionally, the Reform CCHD Now coalition’s investigations reveal that 67 grantees were either directly promoting practices contrary to Catholic teaching, or involved with coalitions or forums that promote abortion, contraception or homosexual ‘marriage’ as primary objectives. We look forward to the CCHD addressing the question of the additional 61 grantees involved in intrinsically immoral activities.”

Some are concerned that this delay in releasing the grantee list may be an attempt to keep from critical reviewers any data that could confirm, or deny, that CCHD is truly committed to structural reforms.  It also helps keep the focus off of CCHD so they can try to recover from last year’s extremely poor fundraising performance.

Ineffective voter’s guide October 29, 2010

Posted by Tantumblogo in Abortion, General Catholic, sadness, scandals, Society.
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The statement from the bishops of Massachussetts was extremely disappointing.  It does nothing to provide guidance along the lines that the Pope laid out a few days ago. 

Archbishop Burke also gave very strong guidance to Catholic voters, stating that to vote for someone who is pro-abortion is contrary to the good practice of the Faith.  The ‘progressives’ are apoplectic about such clear endorsements of Catholic doctrine, and so they have had a wig out in the Distorter.  Fr.Z picked it up.  Hilarity ensues:

In an interview with Thomas McKenna, president of the arch-conservative Catholic Action for Faith and Family, Burke reportedly said that Catholics are bound in conscience to vote for political candidates who oppose aborting babies, embryonic stem cell experiments, euthanasia and so-called homosexual “marriage.” [You can see why the editors of the NCR would be against that!]

There was no mention of [Here it comes… ] the central issues of the 2010 mid-term election: unemployment, the economy, the widening income gap between the wealthy and the working/middle class, home foreclosures, or even immigration. For Burke, everything apparently hinges on the “bedroom” issues, not the “boardroom” or the “border” issues. [She is rehashing the liberal catholic from the 2008 election cycle.  NCR catholics fail to see that the basic human right to live is prior to every other human right.  The foundation of true Catholic social justice rests on the right to be born and live in dignity to a natural death.  The bonds of society and our societal interactions depend on firm foundations that are in harmony with nature and common sense – and divine revelation.  Society’s basic building block is the normal and natural family.  If you tear apart what “family” means and begin to call unnatural relationships “normal” you tear at the bonds of society.]

Then, the author, a heretical religious sister named Maureen Fielder, goes hypocritical:

This is a yet another example of hierarchical behavior that oversteps the boundaries of acceptable church/state relations and sends most Catholic voters up the wall — if they pay attention to it at all. [Another misstep.  She is pressing on the reader a false understanding of the chimeric “separation of church and state”.  Furthermore, she is taking a position against the right of the Church to have a voice in the public square.  Effectively, for arch-liberal Fiedler, catholics only have the right to raise their voice in the public square so long as they are pressing for her positions.  Had Burke been speaking about mercy for illegal immigrants, she and the NCR would not have taken a public position against him. They would not have praised him.  It is when Church officials say that homosexual acts are wrong that they seem to get worked up.]

Many Catholics do not agree with the official hierarchical position on some or all of these issues, but even those who do don’t want to be given instructions on how to cast their ballot. [Arch-liberal Fiedler reduces the Church’s teaching to a “official hierarchical position”.  Note the choice of words.  For NCR catholics “hierarchical” is bad.  If something is “official”, perhaps there is an un-official position which is still “catholic”.  She would like that, because she wants to have part in an alternative magisterium.]

The alternative magisterium is an increasingly real, and distressing phenomenon.  I pray that the bishops will collectively examine this threat to the Unity of the Church and their own Authority, and determine appropriate steps to protect the Faith, which they are bound by oath to support, defend, and proclaim to the utmost of their ability. 

Burke’s video is below (and a complete, much longer version of the Burke interview at that link):