CCHD - What you can do...

So today the USCCB met in Baltimore again as they will for the rest of the week. USCCB Fall Meeting

During todays meetings, they briefly talked about the CCHD amidst complaints by A.L.L. and others that CCHD has contributed to groups like ACORN in the past. The statement from the USCCB was pretty basic and didn't invoke a lot of questions or discussion. The USCCB via Bishop Morin endorsed the CCHD and essentially said that all groups are vetted, and any groups not inline with Catholic teaching are de-funded. For example last year ACORN was a fund-ee. This year they are not, for obvious reasons.

A group dedicated to Reforming CCHD has sprung up and is trying to walk the line between obedience to the American Bishops and Obedience to Holy Mother Church... not always easy, especially when one finds themselves in a situation where the two are opposite. I tried to do my own research, but the Reform CCHD has done a lot of it: http://www.reformcchdnow.com/

After doing a lot of research, questioning, and praying I realized that the best thing we can do as Catholics is to avoid giving to CCHD this week and to give to another Charity. CCHD is a "funding" organization or "middle man." They operate much the way that United Way does. They intake a lot of money in a coordinated effort to maximize donations. From there they distribute the money to groups that they have awarded funding too, much the way grants are funded. Unfortunately, this type of operation requires an enormous amount of oversight, especially in the situation of the Church where the groups must meet the teachings of the church. Unfortunately the applicants are not worried about Catholic teaching and are simply seeking funding.

Questions you may ask:

• Aren't MOST of the groups GOOD - they adhere to the teaching of the Church? Yes... most are, but having just one is unacceptable. This campaign isn't necessary, and donating DIRECTLY to the groups that are loyal to the Church is more effective.
• Doesn't the CCHD defend groups that are found to have stances contrary to Catholic teaching? Yes... unfortunately defunding=closing the door after the horse is gone. One can only DEFUND a group that has already been funded... see the problem?
• Aren't we being disloyal to the Church and the Bishops by not supporting the CCHD if we were asked to give? No... you can give to the GOOD groups that CCHD funds without supporting the "2nd collection." There is no mandate or teaching of the Church that says our charity must come in the form of a "collection." We must demand better... we can easily support good charities by supporting them directly. We can also support our Church by simply doubling up on our normal collection and knowing that is going to a good cause.

I'd love feedback on this. My wife and I are planning on giving what we would have given to a more "worthy" 2nd collection with our main gift. We might include the "coupon" that is being circulated or we may simply write a letter, we haven't decided. I need to figure out in my heart if the coupon (below) is the best way of getting our feelings across or if it is abrasive and improper.