Monday, June 22, 2009

Sweeping it under the carpet?

Well, well. It seems that Development & Peace (D&P) has investigated themselves and come up squeaky clean. According to an article published in Zenit News, the Canadian Catholic fundraising agency of D&P went on a trip to Mexico with some Canadian bishops, for the purpose of investigating the agencies in Mexico they were supplying funds to. Four months ago Lifesite News conducted an investigation into these groups and reported their pro-choice agenda, and accused Development & Peace of supplying funding to pro-abortion groups. That caused a big uproar, and now Archbishop James Weisgerber wants everyone to know that D&P has been vindicated of any wrongdoing.

My memory of what is wrong with D&P goes back a little farther than these last four months, however. I stopped donating to Development and Peace in the year 2000, after they were exposed for donating $140,00 to a radical, feminist, anti-life and anti-family event called the World March of Women.

So, is it a whitewash or have the bishops rapped the knuckles of D&P and made them promise to be more accountable in who they deliver your hard-earned charitable donations to? Either way, I highly doubt that D&P is as squeaky clean as the image they project.

2 comments:

Frank said...

A whitewash, of course. It seems that some bishops have not drawn the correct lesson from the clergy sex abuse scandals that inflicted such harm on the Church. I'm not surprised but I'm dismayed at the blind spot that many so-called Catholic organizations have regarding abortion. Several years ago, another Catholic organization (which celebrated its centennial last year) appointed as national director of development an ex-politician who was reported to have taken a pro-abortion position in her earlier career. When I wrote to the organization to ask for clarification, I received a reply from the president, a priest, that I was reminded of when I read this and other reports about the so-called investigation of Development and Peace. Similar attitude and similar tactics; here's what I wrote back:

"The more I think about it, the more distasteful I find Fr. X's letter. He says that [the organization] does not support pro-abortion groups, but that's not what is at issue here; [an evasion similar to that of D&P, which said that they were not funding groups that provided abortion services, when what LifeSite News reported was that they were funding groups that engaged in pro-abortion advocacy] no one has said that they do. He completely evades, however, the question of [the national director of development's] views and background, from which I can only conclude that the LifeSite article referred to in my first message described them correctly. Finally, he goes on the attack, insinuating that in expressing my concern I am as guilty of violating the fifth commandment as someone who kills. This appears to be his standard attack on others who have asked for clarification."

All of a piece, unfortunately.

Anita Moore said...

These diocesan "social justice" campaigns are anything but. See my expose on the Campaign for Human Development.