Chicago Catholic priests fight over CCHD funding and same-sex marriage support
Sat. November 6, 2010 6:53 AM by GoPride.com News Staff
Chicago, IL -
In Chicago and across the country, Catholic priests and lay people are fighting over the future of a powerful charitable funding organization, Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), and its support of pro-gay and pro-abortion groups.
The annual CCHD collection is scheduled to be taken in most parishes this year on Nov. 20 and 21.
CatholicCulture.org reports that last year, in response to concerns that CCHD was funding "radical activists," the Chicago Archdiocese cut its donation from 75 percent of local collections to just 50 percent.
Chicago used the excess money to fund "family life" programs instead.
Two weeks ago, CCHD came up with new internal guidelines in hopes of "silencing critics."
But CatholicCulture.org said the new guidelines show support for Coalition of Immokalee Workers, which has worked with groups that support abortion and same-sex marriage.
A conservative group called "Reform CCHD Now" (RCN) is furious.
"[We] released a detailed report which lists 67 grantees which were either directly promoting practices contrary to Church teaching, or involved with coalitions or forums which have the promotion of abortion, contraceptives or homosexual 'marriage' as a primary objective. We hope the CCHD will publicly address these findings," said a statement on their website.
The annual CCHD collection brings in millions of dollars for the group.
The annual CCHD collection is scheduled to be taken in most parishes this year on Nov. 20 and 21.
CatholicCulture.org reports that last year, in response to concerns that CCHD was funding "radical activists," the Chicago Archdiocese cut its donation from 75 percent of local collections to just 50 percent.
Chicago used the excess money to fund "family life" programs instead.
Two weeks ago, CCHD came up with new internal guidelines in hopes of "silencing critics."
But CatholicCulture.org said the new guidelines show support for Coalition of Immokalee Workers, which has worked with groups that support abortion and same-sex marriage.
A conservative group called "Reform CCHD Now" (RCN) is furious.
"[We] released a detailed report which lists 67 grantees which were either directly promoting practices contrary to Church teaching, or involved with coalitions or forums which have the promotion of abortion, contraceptives or homosexual 'marriage' as a primary objective. We hope the CCHD will publicly address these findings," said a statement on their website.
The annual CCHD collection brings in millions of dollars for the group.