By Patrick B. Craine
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 12, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A new “Stations of the Cross” devotional from the United States Conference for Catholic Bishops’ Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) profiles five CCHD grantees who are involved in the promotion of abortion or homosexuality, reports the Reform CCHD Now Coalition.
The CCHD Stations highlight one grantee per station. Each station includes a prayer asking that we be “inspired,”“challenge[d],” or “move[d]” by the witness of the highlighted grantee.
Reform CCHD Now has found, however, that five of the profiled groups are engaged in advocacy for or have supported activities that violate Catholic teachings:
– The Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition – for making statements in support of abortion and for promoting a pro-abortion group.
– The United Workers’ Association – for joining the Equality Maryland coalition in support of same-sex “marriage”, and for remaining on the Health Care for America Now coalition, which is fighting to include abortion funding in health care reform legislation.
– Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement – for participating in a forum that promotes homosexual activism.
– People Organized for Westside Renewal – for joining three coalitions that actively promote abortion and same-sex “marriage.”
– New Mexico Acequia Association – for espousing theological views contrary to Catholic teaching and professing full support for a pro-abortion organization.
“During these final weeks of Lent, we ask the bishops [to] cut funding for the CCHD until a complete investigation and overhaul is conducted,” said Michael Hichborn, American Life League’s lead researcher into CCHD grants and a member of the Reform CCHD Now coalition. “It is unacceptable that a Lenten devotion beloved by millions of Catholics the world over would be commercialized to include 'prayers' that are little more than fundraising pitches for pro-abortion and same-sex marriage groups.”
“Until these issues and those highlighted by the Reform CCHD Now coalition in the past 6 months have been resolved, we respectfully ask the bishops to follow the lead of the seven bishops who have cut off funding from the [CCHD] in their diocese,” said Stephen Phelan, communications manager for Human Life International, another Reform CCHD Now partner.
The Reform CCHD Now Coalition has launched a petition calling on the U.S. Bishops to “ensure no more Catholic dollars are spent to support organizations advocating abortion or same-sex marriage.”
LifeSiteNews did not hear back from Ralph McCloud, CCHD's national Director, by press time.
See the Reform CCHD Now Coalition report.
See the Reform CCHD Now petition.