Diocese of Green Bay to withhold funds from CCHD.

Given the recent scandal of the CCHD supporting anti-Catholic groups, I think this is a prudent decision.

That's what the Diocese of Green Bay is doing this year with the annual collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). Normally on the fourth Sunday of Lent parishes in the Diocese of Green Bay take up a collection titled The World's Poor, which benefits three outreach ministries: Peter's Pence (work of the Holy Father), Catholic Relief Services (U.S. bishops' disaster relief aid) and CCHD.

This year, however, donations to The World's Poor will be shared between Peter's Pence and Catholic Relief Services only.

"There have been some questions about programs that have received funding from CCHD," says Fr. John Doerfler, vicar general and chancellor for the Diocese of Green Bay. "That, along with the enormous post-earthquake needs in Haiti, we decided this is an appropriate time to give additional support to Catholic Relief Services while we analyze the situation with CCHD."

In recent months, some local and national Catholic groups and individuals have claimed that CCHD grants in many states have provided funding to groups that promote principles that are contrary to the Catholic Church's teachings. In response, the CCHD subcommittee (which is part of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development) has been investigating claims.

In an Oct. 2, 2009, letter to all U.S. bishops, CCHD Subcommittee Chairman Bishop Roger P. Morin wrote that "the CCHD Subcommittee and staff take seriously any allegation that groups we fund are not in compliance with Catholic teaching or are participating in partisan political activity. We immediately investigate each allegation in consultation with the local diocese and, if the allegations are confirmed, discontinue funding immediately. We are always examining ways to strengthen and improve our monitoring efforts to ensure that all of the 250 current grantees comply with CCHD criteria. This is an ongoing process, involving both local dioceses and national CCHD and national staff."

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