The Reform CCHD Coalition Now received confirmation on Monday that Chicago’s CCHD had retracted grants previously promised to pro-life groups. With the departure of Rey Flores as CCHD director, a group of Chicago clergy have been publicly exerting pressure on the archdiocese to restrict grants to only “anti-poverty” organizations. These clergy don’t accept the argument that the lack of … Read more
Anyone who has read my many posts and columns on the Holy Land and the political struggle between Israel and Palestine knows I have reservations about the Israeli treatment of Palestinian Christians in particular and those who inhabit the West Bank in general. I have consistently argued for the necessity of a two-state solution whereby … Read more
When the USCCB issued its document a few weeks ago announcing the “Review and Renewal of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development,” I wondered aloud if the CCHD would be able to keep its promises. As it turns out, one of the promises was broken the moment the document was published. “Review and Renewal” specifically … Read more
Anyone who has been to a Catholic conference has heard the following remark rise up out of the audience: “What we really need to do is to pray and get before the Blessed Sacrament!” Anyone who has spoken at a Catholic conference has had to confront this statement. Usually, in order not to appear like … Read more
I watched Chippy run down the lawn, across the neighbor’s drive, and around the wall separating the drive from the yard. As the small football was thrown in the air, I hoped it would come down to him with the point up, making it easier to catch. Years ago, I could make a ball do … Read more
CNN national exit polling reports this morning that Catholic voters returned to the GOP yesterday. By an eight point spread, 53 percent to 45 percent, Catholics supported GOP candidates around the nation. These numbers basically are a reversal of the 2008 presidential results. As I predicted in my pre-election comment for Catholic Advocate, Catholics were … Read more
Last week, the USCCB issued its “Review and Renewal of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.” The document contains a series of recommendations to reform CCHD grant awards in response to alarming disclosures that financial support was going to groups that supported abortion and same-sex marriage. Five groups were defunded, but dozens more have been … Read more
Who is Lady Antebellum? Just heard them sing the “Star Spangled Banner” before the 2nd game of the World Series, and it gave me chills. The three singers sang our anthem a cappella with great feeling and obvious pride in our country. Those in the stadium interrupted them several times with cheers. I guess I … Read more
Last evening I had the pleasure of taking three seminarians from Mount St. Mary’s Seminary out to dinner in Gettysburg. As I drove up Highway 15 to Emmitsburg, MD, I noticed the leaves on the trees were more brilliant with fall colors than they are down here in the suburbs of Washington, DC. And, … Read more
Reports have been circulating the last few days that Jody Bottum is no longer the editor of First Things. The changes on the masthead — listing an “interim editor” — corroborate the truth of those reports. First Things has yet to issue any kind of official comment on the change — until then, it would … Read more
I participated in a 30-minute media conference call regarding the proposal being put forward by the CCHD to reform their grant making apparatus. Leading the call were Bishop Roger Morin, chair of the USCCB subcommittee on CCHD; John Carr, head of Justice, Peace, and Human Development at the USCCB; and Ralph McCloud, head of the … Read more
Earlier this evening, Mother Assumpta Long announced the intention of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, the Mother of the Eucharist to purchase the John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, DC. The Dominican Sisters hope to make the John Paul II Center into a House of Studies for their order. I spoke with Mother Assumpta … Read more
Is the religious right uncivil? Conservatives Michael Gerson and Peter Wehner think so. In a joint Huffington Post column titled “The Success and Failure of the Religious Right,” they argue: The language and tone of the religious right have often been apocalyptic, off-putting, and counterproductive. “Just like what Nazi Germany did to the Jews,” said Jerry … Read more
When I wrote a book on happiness in 1995, I was required to read a number of the popular self-help books on the subject. It was only dogged persistence and several strong cigars that got me through them. But lo and behold, at the suggestion of a friend, I took a look at the best-selling … Read more
Doug Johnson, legislative director of National Right to Life, got on a conference call yesterday hosted by the Fake Catholic Group Catholics United. Catholics United is insisting the healthcare legislation did not contain taxpayer funded abortions in spite of the fact the Catholic bishops insist it did. The Washington Independent published an account of Johnson’s … Read more
Sr. Carol Keehan, president of the Catholic Health Association, has been a frequent guest at the obama White House. Visitor logs just released reveal that Sr. Keehan visited the White House 15 times since the beginning of the present administration. However, on seven occasions, Sr. Keehan met with President Obama himself — that’s a remarkable … Read more
With the decision of the Ohio Elections Commission to allow a hearing to decide whether the Susan B. Anthony List has falsely represented the voting record of Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-OH), the question is again raised: Was abortion funding authorized by the health care legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama? The complaint arose … Read more
Does Catholic Charities facilitate same-sex adoptions? Of course not, you might say. Well, one head of Catholic Charities has been asked to find out. Arne Nelson, CEO of Catholic Charities in Orlando, sent out the following question to the diocesan heads of all Catholic Charities in the US. Let’s hope the answer is a resounding … Read more
Popular Catholic blogger Jeff Miller of the Curt Jester thinks my notion of a Catholic Tea Party is a “bad idea.” It may, in fact, be a bad idea, but if so, not for the reasons he gives. There’s no need to rehearse the entire argument, because it comprises variations on a single theme: the … Read more
With less than a month to go before the mid-term elections, and with Catholic Democrats who voted for Obamacare in trouble, the Catholic Health Association is determined to do all it can to help remove the stigma. As everyone should know by now, Sr. Carol Keehan, CHA president, has been in the foreground of those … Read more