Goodbye, Archdiocese Of Washington Pro-Life Office!

Read the Catholic Standard announcement here.  Oh, it all sounds nice and rosy, with all lightness and sweetness.  But is it?  Consider that now they will operate under the dubious auspices of Catholic Charities.

We've written a good bit of about Catholic Charities in the past - some of it in the recent past.  Read below..

• In August of 2010, an agency of the Arlington Catholic Charities was giving assistance to an illegal immigrant who had been arrested on drunk driving charges.  That ended only when the man, again drunk, was in an auto accident that caused the death of a nun in the other car.
• Sister Carol Keehan (need I remind anyone of her treachery?) sits on the board of Catholic Charities USA.  At the Catholic Charities Centennial Gathering last September, she was awarded a "Centennial Medal".  Check out the link for the Obama-philes amongst the honorees.
• DC Catholic Charities' board is rife with Democrat/pro-abort donors - at least, as of last year. 
• Catholic Charities has glommed onto the "climate change" hoax by joining the "Catholic Climate Covenant" 
• Albany Catholic Charities did a needle exchange program with drug addicts.  No treatment of addictions, just the dispensing of new needles.
• Three years ago, an employee of the Richmond (VA) Catholic Charities took an underage client of Catholic Charites to get an abortion - with the prior knowledge of the bishop.
• A recent "Centennial Medal" awardee is Fr. Theodore Hesburgh - a dissident priest who has done much to undermine the message of the Church.  Read the link.
• Catholic Charities USA operates on a $4.2 billion budget.  About 67% of that is from federal grants.  Do you think that there might be just a few little strings attached to all that loot (which, by the way, comes from the wallets of already-strapped taxpayers)?

That's quite a dismal picture - and these are just the problems of which I'm aware.  Now consider that a pro-life ministry is being placed under the thumb of this left-wing group that is obviously beholden to the feds.  What's going to happen the next time another Keehan or Hesburgh is wined and dined at a CC function?  Will the good people who currently work in the pro-life offices be forced to attend, smile and clap for these pro-abortion dissidents/heretics when the latter receive awards and accolades?  Will they be able to speak out forcefully against pro-abortion and anti-morality legislation?  I think we know the sad answers to those questions; they'll either muzzle themelves or lose their jobs.

To my fellow Catholic pro-life activists within the Archdiocese of Washington, I suggest strongly that you look for avenues of pro-life endeavor that are independent of your parishes.  The parishes must necessarily answer to the powers-that-be; now that will ultimately be Catholic Charities.  I'm not necessarily saying that you should separate entirely, but you certainly should not confine your activism to parochial or arcdiocesan initiated projects.  Be prepared to walk away if need be.

The Standard piece is set forth as a happy announcement of change for the pro-life activities of the archdiocese.  "Happy announcement"?  Try "obituary".