Posted on 2/25/2002, 5:00:05 PM by Tumbleweed_Connection
It looks as if the embattled Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston hasn't learned a single thing about the dangers of covering up problems such as the horrendous pedophile priests scandal - it now refuses to discuss having an official of a Catholic Charities organization under its authority working as a volunteer at an abortion butchery.
When Ed Oliver, a MassNews reporter asked both the Boston Archdiocese and the Dorchester branch of Catholic Charities about Howard M. Brown, a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker,and Director of Counseling Services at Catholic Charities, moonlighting as a volunteer at Planned Parenthood's abortuary, he ran into a stone wall.
"Neither the Archdiocese of Boston nor Catholic Charities of Greater Boston expressed concern over Brown's abortion activities when contacted by MassNews" Oliver wrote, noting that his phone calls "to several departments of the Archdiocese of Boston, including Cardinal Law's office, Human Resources, and the Pro-Life office, resulted in hostility or bureaucratic indifference and referrals back to Catholic Charities."
Incredibly, Brown has been assisting Planned Parenthood in the Boston area as a volunteer for the last ten years, and in other states before that, Oliver revealed in the February 20 issue of MassNews.
Pro-Lifers fear that Brown, who they termed an infiltrator, may be sending women who come to him in his capacity as a Catholic Charities pregnancy counselor to Planned Parenthood for abortions.
"It is shocking that Catholic Charities employs a person who actively assists in destroying unborn babies," Thomas M. Harvey, Chairman of Mass. Citizens for Life, told Oliver. "Assistance in this violence is a direct contradiction of Catholic teaching. It could not be less Catholic nor less charitable. Rather, it's scandalous. We call on Catholic Charities for his immediate termination."
And C.J. Doyle, executive director of the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, told MassNews, "It's appalling, scandalous and disgraceful that an employee of a Catholic organization would participate in the willful killing of innocent pre-born children."
Brown, whose job at Catholic Charities is counseling pregnant women on the alternatives to abortion, volunteers his Saturdays escorting women into Planned Parenthood's abortion clinic in Boston where their unborn babies are routinely killed.
It was that aspect of his life that led to his exposure as what amounts to a double agent. Brown was called to testify in court recently against a tiny, pro-life woman, Sheryl Fitzpatrick, who was charged with assault in a sidewalk incident that occurred last July outside Planned Parenthood in Boston.
Fitzpatrick, however, insisted that she was the victim - that Planned Parenthood escorts, including Brown, had manhandled her. She was cleared of the charge, Oliver reported.
According to MassNews, "Pro-life courtroom observers became suspicious of Brown after he dodged a question by Fitzpatrick's lawyer about where he was employed. Subsequent research revealed his employment with Catholic Charities."
After being cleared Fitzpatrick sent an e-mail to Dr. Joseph Doolin, President of Catholic Charities. According to MassNews she wrote:
I am concerned about this person working for Catholic Charities, especially in a counseling position, for a number of reasons.
One, the mission of Catholic Charities and Planned Parenthood are opposed to each other.
Two, if pregnant women go to him for help and advice, he could be referring them to Planned Parenthood for abortions or other things which are not in line with the teachings of the church.
Three, this escort has shown a very aggressive side of his character out at the Planned Parenthood in Allston. By this I mean that on many occasions he has physically pushed pro-life women attempting to counsel mothers going into PP, in order to keep the mothers from getting the information about help and alternatives.
A prompt response to my questions and concerns would be greatly appreciated. Dr. Doolin did not respond.
MassNews tried to contact both Dr. Doolin and Rev. Phillip B. Early, the number two man at Catholic Charities. Neither man responded to messages.
Brown himself rebuffed MassNews when they attempted to interview him at his Catholic Charities office, The following day, a Saturday, when most abortions are performed, they found him stationed outside the Boston abortuary. He was wearing his Blue Planned Parenthood vest and a radio headset and again refused to speak to MassNews. He was rescued by his Planned Parenthood supervisor who said her escorts were not permitted to speak to the media.
Maureen March, a spokeswoman for Catholic Charities refused to answer MassNews questions about Brown "other than to grudgingly acknowledge that he is a counselor. The fact that he is the Director of Counseling Services had to be verified independently."
Shockingly, March admitted that Catholic Charities were fully aware of Brown's activities, but she said, "Catholic Charities' hiring policies are more like a company's hiring policies than, say, of the Archdiocese. We're the social service agency of the Archdiocese, but we don't discriminate based on religion, race, sexual orientation, or any of those types of things. Because we take federal money and that sort of thing, we have to adhere to separate hiring and firing regulations."
When asked what would happen if her organization - in the light of the Catholic Church's opposition to abortion - learned a counselor was working at an abortion clinic after he was hired. She said "That type of counseling is not our policy. Our policy is to give abortion alternatives. If he is not adhering to our policy, then that would be dealt with just as with any other employee that doesn't adhere to our policies."
She added that Brown is extremely qualified for the job and Catholic Charities "does not grill people" about things they do on their own time.
Would that hold true if the things a person does on his own time included pedophilia?
Mass News thread.
Unbelievable.
patent
patent
A letter from Fr. Peter West of Priests For Life, please note: this letter is from his personal account and not an official communication from his organization.
Dear Friends,
Below is a story from LifeSite Daily News about the Director of Counseling Services at Catholic Charities in Dorchester, MA, a facility that counsels pregnant women, who volunteers his Saturdays escorting women into Planned Parenthood’s abortion clinic in Boston:Read Article from Lifesite.net
I called Maureen March, the spokesperson for Catholic Charities, to express my concerns. She was very rude and said that this was strictly an internal matter. She said that Catholic Charities serves the whole community not just Catholics. When I asked her if the unborn were part of the public she served she said she didn't have to talk to me and hung up. Apparently she feels that Catholic Charities is not accountable to the general public and does not care if Harold Brown directs women to Planned Parenthood as Director of Counseling at Catholic Charities.
This story first broke on February 20, 2002. So far, no action has been taken. The response of the Archdiocese of Boston has been to disavow any responsibility and direct people to Catholic Charities.
Some people will not do things for the right reason, but they are moved to action by bad publicity, especially when it involves the loss of funds. Please contact Cardinal Law and Catholic Charities to express your concerns. The contact information is below.
Do not give a dime to Catholic Charities until action is taken on this matter! Please contact me if you have any knowledge that your local Catholic Charities has any involvement with abortion. I suspect that if this is happening in Boston, it may also be happening elsewhere. One must wonder how "Catholic" is Catholic Charities?
Sincerely,
Fr. Peter West
DIRECTOR OF CATHOLIC PREGNANCY COUNSELING CENTER IS AN
ESCORT AT ABORTUARY
DORCHESTER, February 25, 2002 (LSN.ca) - Massachusetts News is reporting that the Director of Counseling Services at Catholic Charities in Dorchester, a facility that counsels pregnant women, volunteers his Saturdays escorting women into Planned Parenthood's abortion clinic in Boston. The paper confirmed with Catholic Charities spokesperson , Maureen March that Howard M. Brown is a counselor at the centre and further published a photo of Brown in his "Planned Parenthood Escort" uniform.
Brown's illicit extra-curricular activities were discovered after he testified in court against a pro-life woman who was charged with assault outside the abortuary. The petite woman was cleared of the charges but Brown raised suspicions in court after he dodged questions about where he was employed.
LifeSite contacted Brown at Catholic Charities Dorchester but he refused to speak saying all media inquiries must go through Ms. March. Calls for comment from Catholic Charities and the Archdiocese of Boston were not returned by press time.
To express your concerns:
Catholic Charities
Archdiocese of Boston
75 Kneeland Street
Boston, MA 02111-1931
maureen_march@ccab.org
and
tshorter@catholiccharitiesusa.org
Archdiocese of Boston
His Eminence Bernard Cardinal Law
Cardinal's Residence 2101 Commonwealth Av.
Boston, MA 02135-3192
617-782-2544,FAX 617-782-8358
Email to: prolifebos@aol.com
See the coverage in Massachusetts News: Massachusetts News Article
P.S.
From Sherry Tyree:
Catholic Charities USA claims to have "no affiliation whatsoever" with Catholic Charities of Boston.
"Catholic Charities' hiring policies are more like a company's hiring policies than, say, of the Archdiocese. We're the social service agency of the Archdiocese, but we don't discriminate based on religion, race, sexual orientation, or any of those types of things. Because we take federal money and that sort of thing, we have to adhere to separate hiring and firing regulations."Can the Archdiocese force them to take the name "Catholic" out of their name? (Patent, you're the IP guy, here. Any thoughts?)
(1) It would be quite a challenge. Even though the Church officially calls itself just the "Catholic" Church, there are other groups that claim to be catholic. (American Catholic, Old Catholic, Polish National Catholic, etc.). Sueing over Roman Catholic would be easier.
(2) Lets be realistic for a moment. They aren't going to try. These are the American Bishops we are talking about, they have all the backbone of an ameoba. Someone might think they were being mean, and that pretty much ends the discussion. Further, if they haven't sued Frances Kissling and catholics for a free choice yet, imagine how much farther down the list Catholic Charities is.
patent
Some of us have to get some work done from time to time.
This is ridiculous. If Catholic Charities won't screen out those who favor abortion (and, in fact, have a damned ESCORT for Planned Parenthood employed), then you're better off donating to the Salvation Army.
I stopped giving to the Campaign for Human Development years ago; I don't donate to any charity that won't provide a complete financial breakdown of what it's doing.
Of course, I don't do second collections either. If the Church can't figure out how to allocate money, then they ought to hire someone with some financial acumen.
patent
Well, they need to grill these people and make sure they support Catholic concepts in all areas.
So, the Catholic Church condones empolyees of Catholic hospitals who work for abortion mills on their own time. Bishops are pro life in word only, not actions.My Bishop still allows our Catholic, Pro-abortion congressman to speak at Catholic Functions.
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