Will You be Giving? Decide in Advance!
About 10 months ago, Michael Voris on Church Militant TV provided a very short overview of CCHD (Catholic Campaign for Human Development) in which he related that it continues to be, in his estimation and in the links he provides, “a scam.” LifeSiteNews has stories back into 2010-13 with similar allegations. But the USCCB has apparently launched in 2015 a nationwide appeal again for CCHD and will go local (at least at some churches) this coming weekend: Sept. 19-20th. The campaign is somewhat earlier than usual.
The USCCB site has the annoying habit of not dating information (and making it hard to research). Here is a link in defense of CCHD in which 2010 is one date mentioned. Here is a 2013 link regarding the collection itself.
LifeSiteNews has followed the CCHD story for a number of years. Check out “Community Organizing Group Lying to U.S. Bishops to Retain Grants?” and also from Jan 23, 2014 LifeSiteNews gave an award for the CCHD investigation, saying:
“In relay races, runners pass a baton. In the Olympics, they pass a torch. But … a key leader of the pro-life movement handed off a nail – specifically, a Crucifixion nail.
On Tuesday the recipient of the inaugural Law of Life Achievement Award, John-Henry Westen of LifeSiteNews.com, handed the honor to Michael Hichborn of the American Life League. Hichborn was responsible for performing the research that found that Catholic charities, such as the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) and Catholic Relief Services, had given grants to organizations that support “family planning” and mainstream homosexual activity, and that fund Planned Parenthood in defiance of the dogmatic views of the Roman Catholic Church. His revelations have met with substantial resistance. The award – a replica of a Crucifixion nail – “is an award that speaks of suffering endured,” Westen said. “When you go out to do the right thing, it is most painful when [persecution] comes from those who should normally be on your side. When a stab comes in the back is when it’s most painful.” Westen said that Hichborn’s investigations have “enabled activists like us to pursue the truth, to insist upon it, and to act upon it.”
So is “CCHD” fixed now? Even if it is (where is the proof?) should we now support it when there are so many other worthy organizations? Time to decide is before dropping even a dollar into the basket.
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No, I will NOT be giving to CCHD.
CCHD has not changed its spots. It’s still involved in nefarious activities. Why Bishop Matano allows this collection, I don’t know.
http://www.usccb.org/about/catholic-campaign-for-human-development/upload/2014-15-cchd-grantee-list.pdf
Grantees from 2014-2015, page 10 lists diocese of Rochester St Mary’s church receiving a $50,000 grant from cchd
Very surprised to find the CCHD envelope for this Sunday. They have a bad record. I looked up their grant program at USCCB site. Found this on p 17: “Values driven actions” (sic -not my quote marks) – Here’s the quote:’ “Values driven actions” are based in a vision of the good.’
Obviously, this is the rub. What is good to a progressive who favors killing an unborn child at the behest of the mother will never comport with the right to life of that child
who though unborn already has a mother and father. There cannot be a vision of the good where this kind of “values ” dichotomy exists. So yes, Diane, maybe not even a dollar.
I am thinking of just tearing the envelope in half and putting it in the basket. I love my pastor and the bishop, and it isn’t directed at them, but if I give nothing then it looks like just being cheap. By tearing it I hope to convey the idea that I have moral objections to the solicitation. On the other hand if people see me put anything in the basket they may think I am contributing to CCHD. Can’t decide.
Militia makes very good points. Perhaps the sollution is to tear the envelope in two and place it in the regular collection envelope. Then it makes the statement against this group without giving scandal by SEEMING to contribute. And doing nothing accomplishes nothing. Our pastors should know how we view this annual appeal.
Lastly, I, too, am very disappointed that the DOR is taking up this collection under Bishop Matano’s watch.
+JMJ
Brilliant solution, JLo. Thanks. I will do that!
Why not write in red on the outside “REFUSED” so they know that you refuse to support this collection? And who cares who sees you put it in the basket?? They are supposed to have their mind on the Mass!!
Thank you JLo and raymondfrice for the great suggestions!
I threw out the envelope when the set arrived in July but I am writing on a white generic envelope, “CCHD collection: donation REFUSED” and am adding my name and parish ID number 🙂
According to the list catholicmom posted: Of all the many grants awarded to multiple dioceses, usually each of them receiving multiple grants, the Diocese of Rochester is only receiving one grant -and it is for St. Mary’s Society (St. Mary’s Church)-$ 50,000 for Civil Rights.
St. Andrew Church on Portland Ave. had multiple, multiple outreach programs and ministries for the neighborhood, which addressed every area in life. The outreach programs and ministries were staffed and supported by parish staff, parish parishioners and parishioners from some suburban parishes. Almost all the parishioners from St. Andrew Church volunteered in a ministry, usual multiple ministries. Additionally, professional basketball players and coaches helped with their annual basketball camp, and professional musicians and singers came to perform for community concerts. St. Andrew Church was a model for what a church should be doing for its parishioners and the community. St. Andrew Church was known as “A Beacon of Hope.”
St. Andrew Church is a perfect example of when things work well, the Diocese shuts it down. Within its final year, the Diocese fought to shutdown St. Andrew Church’s ministries and programs. I believe it was politics and cost to why our parish was sold, as they could get a really high price for our newly renovated church buildings and property. I believe it was also politics regarding how long-time excellent staff were fired, and how excellent programs and ministries were forced to shut down. The Diocese (the board of priests who make decisions) sent a clear message – Who cares about evangelization, education, and service to the poor and marginalized (tenants of the Catholic faith)!
We are definitely not giving anything to the CCHD! Ministries that have survived the closing of St. Andrew Church (Light of Christ Parish) are St. Andrew Food Cupboard run by Margaret Oberst on Portland Ave., and St. Vincent de Paul Society, run by Peter Schaad, now out of St. Michael Church (St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish). If people want to make a donation out of thankfulness and a concern for their fellow human beings, I suggest they donate directly to a charity of their choice.
Some options are:
Margaret Oberst
St. Andrew Food Cupboard
890 Portland Ave
Rochester, NY 14621
(585) 338-1764 (ask for Margaret Oberst 9 A.M.-11 A.M. Tues. -Fri.)
and
Peter Schaad
St. Vincent de Paul Society
124 Evergreen Street
Rochester, New York 14605
(585) 338-2330 (ask for Pete Schaad)
They also accept donations of furniture & household goods
They also need volunteers
They are also looking for volunteers
http://www.svdprochester.org/
Speaking as a parish volunteer, I wonder if we really want to subject the volunteers who give their time to count the money in the collections to torn and written upon envelopes that will waste their time and frustrate them? After all, it’s usually not the parish staff, the pastor, or the bishop who is counting the money. What would make more sense would be to write directly to the pastor, or the bishop, or even better, to speak to them directly.
I have no doubt that in my parish the counters will turn over to the pastor the torn or written on envelopes. That may be a stronger statement in a pile that any words that will be immediately forgotten. And the counters are more likely to tell others, which will make them also aware of the problem. I’ll go with using the collection basket. Since the CCHD collection will be separate from the parish collection, and like most second collections not have a pile of donations, it likely won’t be much of a burden anyway.
Moving above the diocesan level, for years the NCCB took the annual collection and held it in stocks and bonds for about a year. It took the interest from these stock and bonds and put them in a special account and the principal was then disbursed to the grantees.
The interest accumulated in the special account accumulated to about 10 million dollars, enough to build the new headquarters of the NCCB. After it was built and paid for, the bishops said it was not immoral to do so but not in the Christian spirit and this process of holding back money was halted. So where does it go now???
Perhaps it’s worth mentioning that the St. Thomas the Apostle (SKT-Latin Mass Community) bulletin, in mentioning the collection being taken up, stated “The American bishops mandate this collection in all parishes and churches.” Looks like Bishop Matano and all parish pastors had no choice but to take up the collection. +JMJ
JLo – Thanks for that update and Raymond – thanks for the reminder of the ‘secular’miracle -compounded interest!
It has been my understanding that a US bishop does not have to obey the USCCB. He reports to the Pope and no one else. Is this still true?
Thanks for posting this listing again.
The first three organizations I looked at are all affiliates of the Gamaliel Foundation, which is engaged in “community organizing” following the tactics of Saul Alinsky, for the goal of “systemic change” – and which organization we can thank for giving us the ultimate “community organizer” – Barack Obama. St. Mary’s Church here in Rochester is a founding member of the Rochester affiliate of Gamaliel, known as ROC/ACTS, and I’m guessing their CCHD funding went straight to ROC/ACTS to fund their professional staffmember.
The 2nd collection will be getting none of my monies. I’ll donate to House of Mercy or Open Door Mission – at least there I’ll know it’s serving the poor rather than funding far-left political advocacy.
A couple links to get an idea of where your funds may be going (at least where they went in the past) –
http://www.gamaliel.org/
https://capitalresearch.org/2010/07/the-gamaliel-foundation-alinsky-inspired-group-uses-stealth-tactics-to-manipulate-church-congregations/
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/97588-lest-we-forget-at-least-an-over-the-shoulder-acknowledgment