Posted on 11/14/2008 5:47:29 PM PST by Jim-FREEportPA
By Dennis Sadowski Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The Catholic Campaign for Human Development suspended funding a nationwide community organizing group after it was disclosed June 2 that nearly $1 million had been embezzled.
Funding was suspended for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, popularly known as ACORN, because of the financial irregularities, said Ralph McCloud, executive director of CCHD, the U.S. bishops' domestic anti-poverty and social justice program.
"We're not funding them at any level," McCloud told Catholic News Service Oct. 15.
The suspension covers all 40 ACORN affiliates nationwide that had been approved for $1.13 million in grants for the funding cycle that started July 1, 2008.
McCloud said the suspension came soon after his office learned that ACORN disclosed that Dale Rathke, the brother of ACORN founder Wade Rathke, had embezzled nearly $1 million from the organization and its affiliates in 1999 and 2000. Dale Rathke stepped down from his position with the organization in June when the matter became public; no charges were filed against him. Wade Rathke stepped down as the group's lead organizer at the same time but remains chief organizer for ACORN International LLC.
CCHD has hired specialists in forensic accounting to investigate whether any of its grant funding has been misappropriated, McCloud added.
Since revealing its financial troubles, the organization has come under intense scrutiny because of its voter registration practices. In several states voter registration forms have been found to include nonexistent or dead people. Some registrants have told elections officials they completed multiple cards at the urging of ACORN canvassers who claimed they would be fired if they did not meet a daily quota for signing up new voters.
McCloud released information showing that CCHD funded more than 320 ACORN projects with grants totaling more than $7.3 million during the last 10 years. He said the community organization also had received funds since early in CCHD's history.
CCHD's Web site reveals the campaign gave about $1.11 million to 40 ACORN affiliates in 2007 and $1.17 million to 45 affiliates in 2006.
Over the years, some of the funds undoubtedly were used for voter registration drives, McCloud said.
"It probably was," he told CNS. "But by the same token, we didn't find any voter registration irregularities, the allegations we are finding now."
McCloud also said that CCHD guidelines require that organizations in line for funding "go through a great deal of scrutiny."
Prior to the awarding of grants, applications from local organizations are vetted at the diocesan level by a funding committee, endorsed by the local bishop, and then scrutinized by the national CCHD staff and a committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, McCloud explained.
"The whole idea is making sure that the efforts of the groups we fund are working in nonpartisan efforts and focusing on the kind of work that we would like for them to do," McCloud said.
The organization has not returned several calls from CNS seeking comment about the suspension of funding.
However, ACORN officials are defending the organization's voter registration practices. During an Oct. 14 press conference, spokesman Patrick Whelan acknowledged that some of the organizations 13,000 canvassers submitted duplicate or false registrations, but said they represented a tiny fraction of the 1.3 million new voters signed up for the Nov. 4 election. He said the organization itself discovered many of the problem registrations.
Traditionally drawn to causes usually backed by Democrats, the 38-year-old organization has conducted organizing campaigns in low- and moderate-income communities on issues such as unemployment, affordable housing, predatory lending, health care, minimum wage and living wage, and immigration. ACORN also has conducted voter registration drives throughout its history by hiring canvassers to go door to door and to visit public sites where people gather.
The organization has more than 1,200 chapters in 110 cities, according to its Web site.
END
Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed. CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250
good for you.
“good for you.”
say what?
Without sounding to strange, hitler was good for awhile too. he then went evil. Acorn was good, now it is evil.
Just because you supported it in the good times does not let if off the hook.
Hitler was never good for awhile and neither was ACORN.
I was there when it was forming. Saul Alinsky was required reading in my masters program 1977-79.
I really don’t get your point.
But Acorn is not the only objectionable group that the CCH has funded. We are church going Catholics and haven’t donated to the CCH in years.
Not to be nasty as I was christend Catholic - if you want it to stop - tell the Bishop you can no longer give any money as long as your money goes to ACORN or any of those pro-illegal groups the Church may also be supporting like LULAC, La Raza, MALDEF or any others like that. Sorry padre.
Church money should neven go to any political groups.
The Church also needs to have better accounting. I recall in FL there were two Irishman priests who robbed the local diocese of probably $7 million. They had girlfriends, trips to Ireland, etc. It was insane.
I am not anti-Church but pro-parishoner.
Meanwhile, how many Catholic schools have closed.
The road to Hell, as St. John Chrysostom once said, may well be "paved with the skulls of bishops."
The funds are mixed and so is the spirit of the Church.
One can not be separated from the other.
How do you/we know how funds are allocated?
When I give to my church 17% goes to the Diocese in addition to the education formula for each local church so you have contributed.
That will make no difference to the anti-Catholic zealots here. Some of them will call for the head of Papa himself because the Church assisted the ostensible goals of ACORN.
Yes I agree but there is a quandary here as with believing non-Catholics, whether it be tithing or other giving to God.
It isn’t as simple as withholding money.
There is a matter of faith and love for the Catholic Church which can not be separated from manifestation of Jesus Christ.
This applies to the Orthodox Church which elected a new primate after the top three were deposed after corruption involving funds.
ping
When was it good?
“That will make no difference to the anti-Catholic zealots here. Some of them will call for the head of Papa himself because the Church assisted the ostensible goals of ACORN.”
Exactly. It is difficult being #1.
Let us reason together.
As a Catholic who’s been helping take up collections for years at Mass, I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do. They knew for years that this whole bit was going for Democrat politics and are only cutting it off after the worst possible damage has been done and then only because of the financial irregularities? I’m plenty mad and feel conned and badly used.
After 40 years as a devout Catholic, I quit the church primarily due to the priest abuse scandals/cover ups and coming to the realization that their creed, if accepted as stated, left no room for other Christian denominations to be ‘really’ true Christians. There are plenty of other reasons, but those were the main ones.
ACORN was always a radical leftist organization. Helping ACORN was, among other things, helping the politicians and the teachers and the manipulators who gave us abortion.
The Catholic Church drank the koolaid on these “social action” programs. You can’t fund a bunch of Communists and think that you are helping the poor. The Church has to do it itself, or individual members of the Church have to do it themselves. It’s not true Catholic charity to hand your money over to gangs of leftist manipulators.
Hopefully they are beginning to recognize that, because of the connections between acorn and Obama the baby killer. There are still unfortunately aging leftists in the Church bureaucracy. But the bishops at least are starting to get the clue.
Good for you for registering your protest to the Bishop.
The RC Church does allow room for other Christians as witnessed by the Byzantine Church being self governed as well as differences between nations and continents.
There are universal Christian teachings we all can agree on. Go to Islam lands; they don’t care if you are RC, Orthodox, Presby,etc.
This sounds so “corny and so Catholic”: follow the leading of Him through Mary. yes, yes, I know all the arguements,etc I had been in the Assmebly of God at one time though raised Catholic and was lead back by Mary.
I believe that you're referring to the line that states:
"We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church...."
I think that, like many other Catholics, you are misunderstanding this line. the word "Catholic" (big "C") refers to the church and the people who follow the faith. The word catholic (little "c") means the universal church - or ALL believers. The creed does not discount other believers. Remember, the protestant denominations came out of the Catholic church in the 1500's. It is the church's hope that one day we we'll all be reunited as one universal church of believers. That will happen once Christ comes again.
I believe that you're referring to the line that states:
"We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church...."
I think that, like many other Catholics, you are misunderstanding this line. the word "Catholic" (big "C") refers to the church and the people who follow the faith. The word catholic (little "c") means the universal church - or ALL believers. The creed does not discount other believers. Remember, the protestant denominations came out of the Catholic church in the 1500's. It is the church's hope that one day we we'll all be reunited as one universal church of believers. That will happen once Christ comes again.
I also emailed my priest.....while we still have one.
Couldn’t tell if you were sarcastic or not, sorry.
Maybe why I wasn’t nominated for Parish Council!
I believe in the truth and will of God...let this election thing play out.
Let the real games begin!
Without sounding to strange, hitler was good for awhile too. he then went evil. Acorn was good, now it is evil.
*******************************************************
NEGATIVE ,, HITLER==>Always evil ,, ACORN==>Always evil ... they both just had to keep their goals hidden for a while until they gained enough power where they no longer had to hide.
I am a Catholic and it has always disturbed me that my church could have so many stupid people in the heirarchy ... unable to see the deals they were making with the devil in the name of “social goods” and such ... I will write to my local Bishop and beg that he consider all future alliances in a more conservative light.
Ditto that - I think I contributed to CCH one time - once I found out the groups CCH supported, never again.
When I’m especially annoyed, I’ll slip a note in the CCH donation envelope with a short explanation of why it’s otherwise empty.
I saw a list of the 2007 groups, but it’s so hard to tell who is doing good work, and who is not.
I will not leave the Sacraments or the Worship Liturgy. I may leave my particular parish since when I asked the pastor about this ACORN stuff he said he “didn’t know anything about it”. I’m sorry but I just don’t believe that especially from a priest who is listed on the Diocese website as bring part of the Catholic Charities staff. My e-mail inquiry about it to the Bishops Stewardship Office has not been answered. Jesus is my Shepherd, though, and I won’t blindly submit to the authority of the men who happen to be running the earthly and temporal institution when their stewardship and shepherding is feeding the wolves.
Yes and double yes.
The RC Church needs to unite first with the Orthodox who ARE allowed to receive Holy Communion.
This will open the door and open the RC Catholic Church to the Holy Spirit more.
Good on them. a little sunshine on ACORN has been a good thing.
“I won’t blindly submit to the authority of the men who happen to be running the earthly and temporal institution when their stewardship and shepherding is feeding the wolves”
No words spoken more clearly with wisdom. ACORN supports abortion, gay marriage, and is anti Catholic/Christian.
We can and should DEMAND answers.
“they both just had to keep their goals hidden for a while until they gained enough power where they no longer had to hide.”
may I add an AMEN!
Libs are “happy”. Fine. We need to maintain our positive outlook and fight the good fight regardless of outcome of the last election. I am afraid McCain didn’t get it and maybe it was/is His will he lost.
I very deeply and humbly appreciate your kind words, sir,
That's what has happened to liberal Protestant denominations, too.
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." - Hebrews 4:12
"Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth." - John 17:17
"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." - 2 Timothy 2:14
A good man can not be replaced except another follow in his place.
You have made my night and I bid goodnight for now.
A very fine thread of good, decent people.
The Catholics are about 1 election too late.
Now that I think of it, the embezzlement of a million bucks was really a good thing. Better to have some corrupt hack steal it than to spend it on further radicalizing our country.
what turned me against the last priest we had was that he mentioned going to moveon.org for some info.....I knew then and there that I didn’t belong.....too conservative,too frugal.
Good luck one day on being nominated for Parish Council! With parishioners such as you I have even more faith in the truth and will of God being fulfilled on this earth.
Thanks for your post and your commitment to standing up for truth and true justice! :-D.
NO! Wow. I would have been right there up in his grill. I would challenge and bring up the whole history of moveon.org, tactics, beliefs etc. I would challenge his belief as a priest and to consider such a foundation if he did look into the information at moveon.org.
Of course I say what I would want to do and what I would do may be different. Hearing stuff like this can be stunning and take a while to digest what the most effective action should be. I too would have felt as though I did not belong in this church. Hopefully I would eventually challenge them at a higher level and write a letter expressing my concern to the bishop and maybe even at a higher level.
I believe it time though to start holding these parishes accountable. It is a cultural war and they need to be held responsible for their stands and whether they hold water according to God's word and blueprint. I would have been right next to you saying NO WAY! Maybe we need to support each other as we go forward in action. Liberals always make a stink. Maybe it is time to be the squeaky wheel too. Orienting at times our own religious leaders back to God and His word.
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