CCHD's Pathetic Excuse For Vetting

Remember how the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, in the afterthroes of the ACORN scandal, promised us that all was hunky-dorry with its "vetting process"?  Well, you'll be shocked (just SHOCKED, I tell you!) to learn that this wonderful vetting process isn't as wonderful as it was cracked up to be !  Surprise, suprise, suprise!!

Lifesite News has details of the NYC AIDS Housing Network, a current CCHD grantee, and its flagrant violation of CCHD guidelines.  In its distribution of condoms, it violates Catholic teaching regarding contraception.  NYC AIDS Housing Network allegedly lied to the CCHD when applying for their grant.

The USCCB wrote about this group on their Facebook page, "During the time it was funded by CCHD, the organization went through the same rigorous vetting process that included the support of the bishop. If at any point the the dioceses or CCHD had found evidence that the organization was in any way involved with condom distribution, the grant would have been immediately canceled. There was no evidence of this."  However, the group was listed as a condom distributer on a governmental website.  How is it that this "rigorous vetting process" failed to determine that?  Additionally, private investigators phoned the group and were told that they indeed distribute condoms.  I suspect that these investigators did not expend much effort to learn that information; could not the CCHD vetting crew have at least done as much due diligence?

Moreover, on September 22nd, Michael Hichborn of American Life League met with senior CCHD officials to discuss these findings with them.  At the time, they remained adamant in dismissing Hichborn's findings, preferring to rely only on their perfunctory phone call to the NYC AIDS.  One can reasonably assume that such was the "rigorous vetting" to which they subjected all their grant applicants - so much for their due diligence with the hard-earned money donated to them by the Catholics in the pews.

Let's take a look now at the CCHD Grant Agreement.  On that pdf, please go to page 5.  Of interest is Section G-2.  It says, "In the event of termination of this CCHD grant, USCCB shall provide Grantee written notice of such termination and of the cancellation of any portions of the grant that remain to be paid. USCCB may, in its discretion, require Grantee to  refund to USCCB the full amount of the CCHD grant and to transfer title to USCCB of any property purchased by the Grantee with CCHD grant funds."   Will the CCHD leaders have the decency to demand return of the money?  I think not, but not because they lack courage.  I think in many ways they are of like mind with the leaders of NYC AIDS and all the progressives who strive to undermine our Christian moral underpinnings.

Please boycott the CCHD and let's help bring this monster down.