Bishops amend social funding rules
WASHINGTON (CNS) – The Catholic Campaign for Human Development is revamping how it awards anti-poverty aid to make sure it does not go to organizations that oppose Church doctrine on such issues as abortion and same sex marriage.
Responding to persistent criticism from activist groups such as American Life League and Reform CCHD Now, as well as to questions from some bishops, the CCHD on Oct. 26 released a plan that establishes “stronger policies and clearer mechanisms” to guide how grants are awarded to poverty-fighting groups and strengthen oversight of how funds are spent.
In recent years, at least eight bishops have decided not to participate in the annual collection, citing questions about the activities of funded groups.
In San Francisco the Chinese Progressive Association’s funding was revoked in 2008 after it published a voter’s guide opposing state Proposition 8 in favor of same-sex marriage and Proposition 4 supporting parental notification of abortion. The Chinese Progressive Association does “great work organizing workers in terms of their rights” in Chinatown, which is notorious for its sweatshops, said George Wesolek, director of the Archdiocesan Office of Public Policy and Social Concerns. “It was unfortunate that they had to do this voter guide and list their political priorities, but they had crossed over the line.”
In the Archdiocese, CCHD now funds Coalition on the Homeless and Nuestra Casa, an organization of mostly poor Latino parents who are working to make the public school system more responsive to their children’s needs, Wesolek said.
“One of the things I like about the new review is that it recommits the bishops to the principle that we are not giving the poor a handout, but we are giving the poor an opportunity to give themselves a hand up,” Wesolek said.
The15-page CCHD document outlining the changes, “The Review and Renewal of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development,” places greater emphasis on the Catholic identity of the 41-year-old program and renews the U.S. bishops’ commitment to fight poverty in all its forms, said Bishop Roger P. Morin of Biloxi, Miss., chairman of the bishops’ CCHD subcommittee. It was approved by the U.S. bishops’ administrative committee and will be presented at the bishops’ semi-annual meeting Nov. 15-18 in Baltimore.
“There were those who were concerned that renewal in some way might mean moving away from a priority of helping the poor achieve greater self-sufficiency. There is a reaffirmation that the CCHD will continue to have a priority for the poor and in helping the poor to help themselves. That has not changed,” Bishop Morin said.
CCHD has been under fire since 2008 from critics who claim the program has lost its way by funding organizations that joined coalitions taking positions contrary to Catholic teaching on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage. The criticisms were the most recent the program has faced. CCHD’s emphasis on funding programs that empower poor and low-income people largely through community organizing activities has been the target of critics almost since the program started in 1969.
Bishop Morin said five of the 270 organizations funded in the 2008-2009 grant cycle lost their awards for violating grant guidelines. He apologized to donors – people in the pews – for the program’s lapses.
In addition to stronger emphasis on doctrine in all CCHD materials and better oversight, at least one moral theologian will advise the CCHD and a review board will hear complaints and decide if a grant should be withdrawn.
By Dennis Sadowski
From October 29, 2010 issue of Catholic San Francisco.
