Use Alinsky Bucks To Say #no2CCHD

For most dioceses across the nation, November is the time when the annual CCHD shakedown will occur during the second collections.  As one might expect, the CCHD continues to divert Catholic dollars to organizations that are part and parcel of the culture of death.  There is no reforming that monster.  The Catholic Campaign for Human Development, along with the even more monstrous United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, must be consigned to the dung heap of infamous history.

Please go to Lepanto Institute's site to read the latest on CCHD and to print out your supply of Alinsky Bucks.  Download them for future use.  If you'd prefer another note to put in your cchd envelope, here's a possible alternative.

Learn more about the CCHD and its nefarious origin.  I've done some research on it, as has Lepanto Institute, Catholic Media Coalition and others.  Learn why we must say #no2cchd and give that money to organizations that will further the Faith and the Culture of Life.

Combating Murder At Later Stages In Life

Last weekend I attended a conference spearheaded by the Catholic Media Coalition (of which this blog is a member) dealing with the threats against innocent life at the other end of the life spectrum.  So many of us have been focused on the murders of babies that we may not have noticed the culture of death as it targets the old and infirm among us.  Starting now, I'll be posting videos dealing with this topic.  Some of them (like tonight's) are from the conference that I attended.

One of the things that Mary Ann mentioned in the video is the two-pronged motive that hospitals are adopting as they glom onto the culture of death: 1) not wanting to incur costs for treatment of very sick people and 2) seeking organs for transplant.  Both of these in turn have a common denominator - $$$!  I'll post a story about co-joined twins being separated.  One detail almost slips by - that the parents were encouraged to abort the babies.  They didn't and the little girls were successfully separated.  Let's not gloss over the fact that the one set of doctors wanted to take the "easy (and most economic) way out" and murder the babies.

I'll now post Mary Ann's opening address and below that, a video of Bishop Gracida's talk that she mentioned in the course of her talk.

Just Say No To CCHD

My archdiocese (of Washington) had their CCHD collection last August.  They tried to camouflage it by calling it "Communications and Human Development" but I don't think they're fooling too many people anymore - if they ever really did.

The majority of US dioceses still retain the November date as their CCHD collection.  Over the years many of us have pointed out that the CCHD collection funnels Catholic dollars into organizations that foment the Culture of Death.  I join my Catholic Media Coalition colleagues in saying #no2cchd.  Here is a press release from CMC president Mary Ann Kreitzer.  Read below that for an additional comment of mine.

PRESS RELEASE - Catholic Media Coalition

Contact:

Mary Ann Kreitzer
540-459-9493

kreitzr1@shentel.net

“Just Say No!” to the CCHD Collection
November 11, 2014

Most Catholic dioceses around the country will take up the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) collection later this month. CCHD professes to assist the poor, not by direct charity, but by developing projects that enable the poor to help themselves. While CCHD uses development grants to promote the collection, the bulk of donations goes to community organizing groups that agitate for a leftist agenda in direct conflict with Catholic teachings. Over the years controversy about CCHD has continued unabated because of this reality and the bishops' failure to institute change. Many Catholics will remember the millions of dollars funneled to ACORN before its scandalous activities leading to the mortgage and bank collapse were exposed. Several times, CCHD has pledged to reform, but, despite short-term improvements, its direction remains unchanged. Abuses continue and, according to Stephanie Block, an expert on Alinskyian organizing, CCHD, under the guise of "charity," channels money solicited from the faithful into groups that promote abortion, contraception, homosexual activism, socialist economic policies, etc.

In a recent report Block wrote:

In fact, 50% of the 2013-2014 CCHD grants have been given to Alinskyian organizations! This doesn’t include an additional award of $300,000 to one of the Alinskyian networks at its national level, nor $500,000 to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to restructure its approach to include community organizing and political advocacy, and $500,000 to the California Catholic Conference which has been forced to battle U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) mandates that would force Catholic institutions to purchase health insurance that covers abortion. This latter would be a positive development if it weren’t for all the millions of dollars CCHD poured into California Alinskyian organizations to “advocate” for universal health care legislation regardless of any “reproductive justice” components.

Block reaches this conclusion: 

For forty-four years [CCHD has] shamelessly pushed aside any corrective reform efforts, expanding its Alinskyian networks into more cities and exporting the twisted theology of Alinskyian organizing into other countries.

So, no, the CCHD hasn’t reformed, not even a little…and it doesn’t intend to reform.

Catholic Media Coalition and its individual member groups urge Catholics in the pew to "Just say NO!" to the CCHD collection this month. Give your hard-earned money to groups that really serve the poor.

For more see: 

http://www.speroforum.com/a/AGMRZDSLKE26/75284-Catholic-Campaign-for-Human-Development-should-practice-truth-in-advertising#.VGIu2PnF-HQ

http://www.speroforum.com/a/AGMRZDSLKE26/75284-Catholic-Campaign-for-Human-Development-should-practice-truth-in-advertising#.VGIu2PnF-HQ

-30-

I'd only add one thing.  Let the church know why you won't give them money.  You might wish to use the note below or write something of your own.  Please give that money to a truly worthwhile charity.  Say #no2cchd.

Operation #no2cchd Is Launched!

I address this mainly to my readers in the Archdiocese of Washington, but others should take note as well.

In the Archdiocese of Washington, the second collection for the Masses of Aug 10-11 will be for something called "Communications and Human Development".  It's really for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.  In recent years, the CCHD has garnered some very bad publicity - and yes, the CCHD has earned its terrible reputation in spades.  I suppose the collectors think that by obfuscating the name of the collection that they can somehow bypass the bad press and fool Catholics into donating.

We are in the process of spreading the word.  A few days ago we mailed to almost 900 people within the archdiocese a postcard (linked here) to remind them of the terrible record of CCHD.  I understand that some have received their postcards already.  As the postcard suggest, please visit the sites of www.reformCCHDnow.com and www.CatholicMediaCoalition.org, as well as previous postings on this blog (see here and here for starters).

Now it's time to take action!  What to do?

1. Distribute copies of the postcards.  I'd think it most convenient if you'd print your own copies (download the pdf in the first link) to educate your friends and fellow parishioners.  Please do so before the collection weekend.
2. Spread word of the existence of ReformCCHDNow.com, CatholicMediaCoalition.org and this blog so that others can avail themselves of the research contanined therein.
3. Use social media to spread word of the boycott.  It would be helpful to use the hashtag #no2cchd in your Facebook and/or Twitter messages.
4. Questions/comments/suggestions?  Please post via the comments.
5. Above all, pray that the Lord have mercy upon those who exploit His Church for anti-God causes and that evil be expunged from this Bride of Christ.

PS

We all heard that Pope Francis told young Catholics to "shake up the dioceses" and "make a mess".  I have one objection to that?  Why invite only young people to have "all the fun"?  We middle-aged and older coots have been making respectable messes for some time now.  To be more precise, we make messes of messes.  That's precisely what we hope to accomplish with the debacle known as the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

Change Agents - Alinskyian Organizing Among Religious Bodies

That is the name of a publication released by Stephanie Block, my friend and colleague in the Catholic Media Association.  Over the years she has done tremendous research into the various organizations organized on the models set forth by Saul Alinsky.  I commend her highly for compiling this much-needed information so that we can more readily recognize these organizations that have as their goal to undermine western culture and Christianity.

I am pleased to link to Volume One of her work.  Please read it; perhaps you'll want to download it and print it out.  Please pass this along to your various contacts.  When subsequent volumes are released, I'll likewise link to those.

Catholic Media Coalition: Boycott The CCHD Collection

The Catholic Media Coalition (of which this blog is a member organization) has released the following statement regarding this year's CCHD collection:

CATHOLIC MEDIA COALITION ENDORSES BOYCOTT OF ANNUAL CCHD COLLECTION

For years the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) has awarded grants to organizations that work against Catholic teaching, particularly with regard to human life and marriage. Not only have donations from generous Catholics in the pew gone to groups that organize and lobby against Church teaching, but they have indirectly, and even directly, helped to elect liberal politicians who advance evil causes.

In view of the recent devastating report from American Life League and ReformCCHDNow which indicates that the problems continue and have even worsened, the Catholic Media Coaltion endorses a boycott of the annual CCHD collection and urges Catholics to give instead to local organizations that serve the poor. Crisis pregnancy centers, Catholic free clinics and food pantries, Catholic shelters and homes for unwed mothers, organizations that serve the third world through clean water and immunization projects are all worthy alternatives to CCHD.

Despite their assurances to the contrary CCHD continues to funnel a large percentage of donations into community organizing groups and coalitions that are hostile to the faith and undermine the family. That is, certainly, no way to help the poor.

Faithful Catholics of MD/DC, Inc adds its "amen" to that statement.
 
Update: the CIA episode to which I linked in yesterday's post is now in youtube format, so here it is.  Again, it's a long one, but only because it contains much worthwhile information.  Click here if you cannot see embedded video.
 

As Promised On Thursday Oct 13th

A collection of articles written by members of the Catholic Media Coalition on the topic of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development is now online.  It includes Stephanie Block's series, some postings from this blog and some new items.  Please review the articles.  The older articles do give valuable background information that will be indispensible to understanding the entire CCHD situation.

Please pass word of this material to your contacts.  You will see that these (and any linked material) will give ample reasons why the CCHD should be abolished, and in the short term, boycotted.

Stephanie Block's CCHD Series

It became apparent to me that I goofed up the order of Ms Block's on-going series of articles regarding the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.  I want to emphasize that she has done much research on the CCHD over the years and she draws upon her own knowledge of the machinations of the CCHD in addition to drawing upon the recently-released ALL report on the most current list of CCHD grantees.

At any rate, here is the list, in proper order.  Ms Block informs me that three more articles are to follow; I'll post them as they become available.

• (Introduction)  Is the Catholic Campaign for Human Development funding the Culture of Death?www.speroforum.com/site/print.asp?idarticle=61051 9-30-11
• Catholic Campaign for Human Development 2011: Part I Guilt by Association – Funding the Idaho Community Action Network. http://www.speroforum.com/site/print.asp?idarticle=61285 10-5-11
• Catholic Campaign for Human Development 2011: Part 2 US Catholic Bishops' funding of the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) while robbing citizens of their voice. http://www.speroforum.com/site/print.asp?idarticle=61497  10-4-11
• Catholic Campaign on Human Development: The American Life League Report on links to abortion groups Part 3 in a series http://www.speroforum.com/site/print.asp?idarticle=61481  10-8-11
• Catholic Campaign for Human Development 2011: Part 4: - Changing the Way Christians Understand “Church”  US Conference of Catholic Bishops and CCHD funding 'Omaha Together One Community' (OTOC). http://www.speroforum.com/site/print.asp?idarticle=61568  

Please read these.  Pass them along.  Most important, when the CCHD collection basket passes by you, drop them a note explaining why you'll give not one red cent to them.

Thomas F. Roeser - Requiescat In Pace

Thomas Roeser of Chicago passed away yesterday at the age of 82.  He was a contributer to the Chicago Sun-Times and founded the online Chicago Daily Observer.  He served as a vice president of Quaker Oats Company.  All agreed that he wasn't afraid to voice his conservative convictions.

He was also a devoted family man and devout Catholic.  As such, he was a co-founder of Catholic Citizens of Illinois, a member of the Catholic Media Coalition, to which this blog also belongs.

Until a few weeks ago, he was writing regularly on his own blog in defense of the Faith.  He also contributed regularly to the Wanderer, a Catholic weekly.

I never had opportunity to meet him in person, although we chatted online once or twice.  May God grant him eternal repose and consolation for his family.

JustFaith Is JustWrong

That is the title of an article written by my colleague in the Catholic Media Coalition, Stephanie Block.  Please read it.  Then go to the JustFaith website and read the newsletters for yourselves.  Follow the links and understand how JustFaith enthusiasts are being lulled - and even seduced - into swallowing the yarn proposed by the progressives who are working to undermine the Church and her mission.

We Have The Right Kind of Enemies

That's what we of the Catholic Media Coalition seem to have acquired, as a result of spreading the facts regarding the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the sorry state of their affairs (pro-abortion alliances, funds going to all manners of dubious recipients, heavy influx of tax dollars, etc).  Catholics United, another cabal of left-wing Catholics, has started an online petition in defense of the CCHD and as a backlash against both the Reform CCHD Now Coalition and the Catholic Media Coalition.  As this blog is a member of the latter, I say to the Catholics United bunch, "Thank you for that honor!"  For indeed, being attacked by folks like that is truly an honor.

If you want some chuckles, do read that petiton.  It starts out by saying, "I am proud of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.."  It reminds me of some of the pro-death clinic escorts with which I deal every week.  Every now and then I'll show them pictures of their fine "work" and ask them if they're proud.  Some actually say that they are proud as they look at the poor broken little bodies.  In many ways, though, the CCHD is responsible for turning those little babies into tiny corpses because of their partnerships with ACORN, PICO and other pro-abortion outfits.  And Catholics United is proud of that?  More on Catholics United later.   Now see proof positive that ACORN and Obama are intimate pals.



Now let's look at Catholics United in general.  Clicking on that link, we can now tour its website.  As we scroll down, we see that they are behind the Obama Hell Care Bill that would bring about euthanasia-pushing death panels as well as ensconce abortion in our social structure - to say nothing of socializing and rationing medicine and assuming divine prerogatives over our health. 

The next article down from that is where we see them scold some bishops who had the audacity to question the masterpiece of the Messiah Most Miserable.  They even had the gall to accuse them of distorting "the essential role government has in serving the common good."  I suppose they never heard of the principle of subsidiarity.  Some of the signers of this screed are: Fr Charles Curran, whom Pope John Paul II had dismissed from Catholic University for teaching aberrant theology, Fr. Thomas Reese, whom Pope Benedict XVI fired from his position at America and Doug Kmiec, ex-prolifer turncoat.  Great bunch of fellows!  Such credibility!

The next article down is a call to American Life League to suspend its "Bury Obamacare with Kennedy" campaign.  Speaking of Kennedy, they also mourn the "loss of Kennedy's passing."  While we certainly pray God's mercy upon his soul, we certainly lament the great harm done by Kennedy in his relentless pursuit of liberalized abortion.

Now click on "about us".  I have found that section of an organization's web page to be most illuminating, as it shows the philosophical bent of its key players.  We see, for instance, that James Salt, their "director of organizing" worked on Kathleen Sebelius' campaigns.

Readers, please keep praying and working.  We're having enough of an effect to cause a backlash.  Ora et labora!

Boycott the CCHD Collection on Nov 21-22

Despite the promises of the defunding of ACORN, it has been demonstrated that the Catholic Campaign for Human Development will continue to fund similar organizations. Given the very jaded origins of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, I believe that this whole corrupt pseudo-ministry of the USCCB should be dismantled and its remains thrown into the garbage. Our friends at Les Femmes (featured on "my blog list") have put together the following video.



Please study it. I also urge the studying of this by another colleague of the Catholic Media Coalition.



We simply cannot allow our donation dollars to be used to undermine the Church and to spread the Culture of Death. One of the videos suggest the dropping of an acorn in that collection basket. If acorns are not to be found in your area, write a note explaining why you're not contributing to this collection; place it in the CCHD envelope in lieu of money. You may use this template if you wish. Additionally, please make sure that you do contribute to a legitimate Catholic and/or prolife charity.

Speaking of Catholic Media Coalition, there is located on the website a repository of information regarding the CCHD. Please make use of it. Any questions/comments, please submit them.