Bishop Robert McManus, poor catechesis and the re-election of Barack Obama

An Associated Press article written by Rachel Zoll and entitled "Catholic Bishops stay course on gay marriage fight" notes that, "Obama won the overall Catholic vote, 50 percent to 48 percent...White Catholics supported Romney, 59 percent to 40 percent.  However, Latino Catholics went for Obama, 75 percent to 21 percent."  Which only serves to highlight the fact that the Republican Party needs to reach out to Hispanic voters and that the Catholic Church in the United States has done a very poor job of catechizing the faithful.

In a speech given on March 21, 2009 in Detroit, Archbishop Charles Chaput, having been asked to examine what the November 2008 election and its aftermath can teach Catholics about American culture, the state of American Catholicism and the kind of Pauline discipleship necessary today, said that, "November showed us that 40 years of American Catholic complacency and poor formation are bearing exactly the fruit we should have expected. Or to put it more discreetly, the November elections confirmed a trend, rather than created a new moment, in American culture."

Nowhere is this poor formation in more evidence than in the Diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts.  A couple of weeks ago I wrote Bishop Robert J. McManus about his promotion of New Age advocate and noted dissident Sister Joyce Rupp.  I asked His Excellency if he truly believes that it is appropriate to promote the writings of an angry feminist who rails against the Church's hierarchy and the Magisterial teaching of the Church while advancing idolatry.  I also asked why Joyce Rupp is welcome within the Diocese when I am not. I received absolutely no response whatsoever even though my tone was highly respectful.  Obviously charity is a strong suit in the Bishop's brand of Catholicism.

In this week's "Catholic" Free Press (a sort of peekaboo Catholicism if you will), His Excellency is once again promoting the "Catholic" Campaign for Human Development - CCHD.  In a message published on page 6 of this sad publication, the Bishop writes, "Through CCHD the Catholic Church is working to continue its tradition of care for the poor.  Please help the efforts of CCHD to break the cycle of poverty.  Fight poverty in America.  Defend human dignity.  Support CCHD in our diocesan collection on Novermber 17 & 18..."

The problem? CCHD is an organization which was inspired by radical agitator Saul Alinsky, a Marxist who dedicated his Rules for Radicals to Lucifer, whom he called "the first radical." It  is an umbrella organization and/or a front for various groups which dissent from the Church's authentic teaching. Especially in the area of sexual morality.


According to American Life League's Michael Hichborn, "..no less than fifty organizations (one-fifth of all CCHD grantees from 2009) are, in some capacity, engaged in pro-abortion or pro-homosexual causes."

For a number of years, there has been concern with the grants that CCHD distributes. There have been specific complaints that a significant portion of the grants have been given to organizations working in direct contradiction to Church teaching.

In 2009, American Life League joined with several other concerned organizations to form the Reform CCHD Now Coalition. In March of 2010, the coalition sent a report on CCHD to each bishop, showing that, in 2009–2010, 51 out of 237 groups receiving CCHD funding either directly or through coalition membership promoted abortion, birth control, homosexuality, and/or Marxism. Thus, 21% of the groups funded by CCHD were involved in such work.

As a result of this activity, CCHD conducted an internal effort to revamp its grant process and ensure that all grantees adhered to strict guidelines. The results were published in a CCHD Renewal Document.

2010–2011 Grantees

In January, 2011, CCHD published its list of 2010-2011 grantees. At that time, American Life League reviewed the list and was disappointed to see that many of the offending organizations were still on the list and, in fact, others have been added.

The attached report documents that, of the 218 organizations funded by CCHD, 14 are directly involved in activities contrary to Church teaching and 40 are actively involved in coalitions with such activities. Thus, 54 groups (24%) funded by CCHD are involved in anti-Catholic work.

The number, and percentage, of offending organizations has actually INCREASED in the last year —from 51 to 54 groups and from 21% to 24%.

These 54 organizations received a total of $1,863,000 of the $7,608,000 distributed in CCHD grants in 2010-2011."

The number and percentage of offending/dissenting organizations receiving CCHD monies has actually increased since 2009. In 2011, 14 organizations funded by CCHD are directly involved in activities which are contrary to Catholic teaching and another 40 are actively involved and associated with coalitions in support of such activities.

Small wonder that same-sex "marriage" has been most warmly received in New England.  Not only has there been poor catechesis but groups which actively undermine the Church's moral teaching have been funded by CCHD.  Things have gotten so bad that Barry Kosnin of the American Religious Identification Survey (2008) said that, "The decline of Catholicism in the Northeast is nothing short of stunning."

Because so many of our priests have failed to preach the faith and to take a courageous stand against the Culture of Death and the Cult of Softness, Barack Obama - champion of both - has been re-elected and can continue to wage his war against Christianity in general and the Catholic Church in particular.

And there will be judgment.