Deal Hudson: 'Catholic Campaign for Human Development Should Be Eliminated'

The evidence about the CCHD was unearthed by Bellarmine Veritas Ministry after their intensive study of CCHD grants from 2008 to 2010.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Inside Catholic) - New, stunning, evidence has just been reported by LifeSiteNews.com that the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) is funding groups that advocate abortion and prostitution.

CCHD, the social justice arm of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which ceased funding ACORN last year, has responded by defunding two of the four organizations, while the fate of the other two remains undecided.

The evidence about the CCHD was unearthed by Bellarmine Veritas Ministry after their intensive study of CCHD grants from 2008 to 2010 (LifeSiteNew.com has links to the list of grants). Bellarmine Veritas Ministry began a national campaign in late August to investigate the groups being funded by the CCHD and found: "Unfortunately some of the groups funded openly promote abortion, same-sex marriage, contraception, and other issues not in line with Catholic teaching."

Here is a list of the groups funded by the CCHD advocating abortion or prostitution, or both:

1. The Chinese Progressive Association -- CPA

CPA has been funded by the CCHD for the last four years and was scheduled to receive $30,000 this year. Its 2008 voters guide urged Californians to vote against proposition 8 and proposition 4 requiring parental notification for minors seeking abortions.

2. Los Angeles Community Network -- LA CAN

CCHD has just defunded this organization which was to receive $40,000 this year. LACAN promotes same-sex marriage, contraception, and the morning-after pill.

3. The Rebecca Project for Human Rights

The Rebecca Project, funded by the USCCB for the last four years, joined Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion organizations in signing a "wish list" of reproductive priorities for President Obama to carry out during his first 100 days in office. This list includes proposals to increase funding for contraception and abortion, defunding abstinence programs, and the end of the Mexico City Policy.

4. The Women's Community Revitalization Project

This organization was scheduled to receive $30,000 from the CCHD. It is a "coalition partner" of WomenVotePA, which advocates abortion, the morning-after pill, contraception, and same-sex "marriage."

The research published by Bellarmine Veritas Ministry is highly detailed and irrefutable.

5. Young Workers United

Scheduled to receive $25,000 from the CCHD. It publicly supports abortion, same-sex "marriage," and the legalization of prostitution. Their 2008 voters guide opposed proposition 8 and proposition 4 in California. The organization also advocated decriminalizing prostitution and urged and advised San Francisco voters to adopt proposition K.

Another important detail was mentioned by LifeSiteNews.com in its report. The CCHD cannot fund or defund any organization without permission of the local bishop, according to the CCHD director Ralph McCloud. This means that the scandal of CCHS grant-making is not just the problem of the USCCB staff, it is the problem of all the bishops who sign off on funding for groups like the Los Angeles Community Network in their dioceses.

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Rob Gasper, the founder of Bellarmine Veritas Ministry, is to be congratulated for his investigation. I hope he will continue his investigation into lists of CCHD grantees from earlier years -- I am sure he will find more of the same, unfortunately, for Catholics around the nation whose money was being ill spent.

Gasper's ministry is calling for all Catholics to:

* Withhold your donations to the CCHD

* Place a note in the collection basket explaining the reasons why you did not contribute to the CCHD

* Remain vigilant and continue to inform others until the demands have been met

I think BVM should go further and ask for the elimination of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. No amount of house-cleaning is going to make this arm of the USCCB worthy of our donations.

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