Tension over Catholic identity of church-run charities swirls in Rome, Denver
Print Friendly VersionBy JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Rome
A senior Vatican official has called for more clear provisions in the Code of Canon Law to underscore the duty, and the authority, of bishops to defend the Catholic identity of church-run charitable agencies.
The comments, made yesterday in Rome, come amid new tensions over the religious identity of Catholic charitable agencies, this time in Colorado. It's a dispute which, among other things, threatens to pit the Archdiocese of Denver against the Anti-Defamation League, a major Jewish civil rights organization.
“The bishop, the principle of unity in his diocese, with due respect for the necessary autonomy, has a duty of supervision over the initiatives of single individuals and of Catholic organizations in the charitable arena,” said German Archbishop Paul-Josef Cordes, President of the Vatican’s main charitable office, “Cor Unum.”
“There’s a duty to supervise, so that persons and programs correspond to a Christian spirit and become authentic places of witness,” Cordes said. “That implies attention to convictions, and to the style of life of those who work in Catholic organizations.”
Cordes noted that the Code does not contain any specific provisions regarding the administration of church-run charities, and appeared to suggest that future revisions may need to spell out the rights and responsibilities of bishops in this area. Beyond matters of Catholic identity, Cordes also pointed to the need for clear financial controls and sound accounting practices.
Cordes spoke as part of a conference organized by the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts marking the 25th anniversary of the promulgation of the 1983 edition of the Code of Canon Law.
Denver offers the most recent test case for issues surrounding the Catholic identity of church-run charities, particularly those which receive public funding.
The controversy began with a Jan. 23 opinion piece from Archbishop Charles Chaput in the Register, the newspaper of the archdiocese. In it, Chaput objected to a bill currently before the Colorado General Assembly which, as he described it, would restrict the ability of charities sponsored by religious groups to hire and fire personnel on the basis of religious beliefs.
Chaput, known for his candor, did not mix words about the possible fallout from the bill: If a Catholic charity “can no longer have the freedom it needs to be ‘Catholic,’ it will end its services,” he warned.
“This is not idle talk,” Chaput added. “I am very serious.”
In a final paragraph, Chaput wrote that he had heard the Anti-Defamation League was a “primary force” behind the bill, and urged the group to “disassociate itself from this ill-conceived piece of legislation.”
In a January 25 letter to the Register, a regional director of the Anti-Defamation League defended the proposed bill, arguing that there should be “no religious litmus test” for someone doing a government job, “whether the government-funded program is administered by the public sector, a secular private institution, or a religious organization.”
The bill “is not aimed at Catholic Charities,” the Anti-Defamation League spokesperson wrote, “nor is there any reason why Catholic Charities cannot continue its important work if the bill is passed.”
Colorado is merely the latest front in tensions between the Catholic Church and governments in various parts of the world over publicly-funded charitable programs administered by the church.
Catholic Charities in Boston, for example, was forced to stop providing adoption services in April 2006 after it failed to win an exemption from a state law which required adoption agencies that receive public funding to provide services to same-sex couples. At roughly the same time, the Archdiocese of San Francisco announced that it would reconsider its participation in a similar program. In February 2007, the English government announced that private adoption agencies which refuse to serve gay couples would no longer receive reimbursements for their services, resulting in the loss of over $9 million in annual payments to Catholic charities in England.
While Cordes did not directly address these controversies, he cited a September 2006 homily from Pope Benedict XVI during his trip to Bavaria which seems indirectly to bear on the issues they raise.
“During their visits ad Limina, the Bishops, most recently those of Africa, have always mentioned with gratitude the generosity of German Catholics and ask me to convey that gratitude, and that is what I wish to do now, publically,” the pope said then. “Every now and then, however, some African Bishop will say to me: ‘If I come to Germany and present social projects, suddenly every door opens. But if I come with a plan for evangelization, I meet with reservations.’”
“Clearly some people have the idea that social projects should be urgently undertaken, while anything dealing with God or even the Catholic faith is of limited and lesser urgency. Yet the experience of those Bishops is that evangelization itself should be foremost, that the God of Jesus Christ must be known, believed in and loved, and that hearts must be converted if progress is to be made on social issues and reconciliation is to begin, and if - for example - AIDS is to be combated by realistically facing its deeper causes and the sick are to be given the loving care they need. Social issues and the Gospel are inseparable,” Benedict said.
The Cordes address this week suggests that the Vatican is concerned about precisely the issues raised by the current dispute in Colorado – and may be preparing to give bishops additional canonical tools to defend Catholic identity.
Catholic Charities can
Catholic Charities can provide all of its services and hire whom they will without restriction here. The issue is that they cannot use tax money to fund those services and then refuse to serve the people they disapprove of. If you want my money, you cannot refuse to take care of me and mine.
St Vincent dePaul's
St Vincent dePaul's philosophy is that one never asks the religion of the donee. The Good Samaritan did not ask. That is more or less the difference between a cult and mainstream religion [the effect of the donation being more important than the donation ]. It might be easier for Christians to either give or receive charity if religion was not part of the equation.
If the question came up about a volunteer would the result have been the same? The fact that a person is getting paid seems to be the question here.
Nobody seems to get closer to Christ by any means other than self education or the practice of love.
I guess I'm looking at this
I guess I'm looking at this issue from a different perspective, as a Catholic taxpayer and citizen. I can remember back in the time of St. Ronnie of Hollywood that a certain Catholic Archbishop withheld a significant percentage of his income tax because his Catholic identity wouldn't allow him to support Ronnie's nuclear buildup. Nobody from the Vatican stood up for him. In fact he was publicly humiliated, and forcibly retired. Apparently he was seen to represent a very dangerous idea: That of a person who put his Faith ahead of his citizenship, by withholding tax dollars.
Arch Bishop Chaput on the other hand, wants to take my tax dollars, but because he believes maintaining Catholic identity is more important than following the law of the land, he threatens he will shut the charities down rather than conform to the law of his benefactors. He will then blame it on the ADL, and his need to defend family values.
I know which one I think has a firmer grasp on citizenship and Catholic Identity.
What are the Archbishops
What are the Archbishops really in a swirling tizzy about here?
If Catholic Charities, or other Catholic charities are accepting money from the government, shouldn't they "render under to Caesar what is Caesar's"?
Benedict says: “Clearly some people have the idea that social projects should be urgently undertaken, while anything dealing with God or even the Catholic faith is of limited and lesser urgency."
So, is the evangelization of “Catholic identity” now taking precedence and preference over charity? Does “Catholic identity” mean that we should not help the poor now, because of restrictions from hiring or firing someone who does not have a specific religion or “Catholic identity” or “lifestyle?”
Aren't social projects like feeding the poor an urgent factor for the Church to take into consideration, and prioritize, as part of one's duty towards others, as part of our Catholic faith and identity?
What was Mother Teresa doing then? Wasn't she evangelizing while serving the needs of the poor? Am I to believe that she did not clearly bring the message of God's love to everyone she met, despite their religious affiliation or "lifestyle?"
Mother Teresa did not ask what religion one was in or what one’s lifestyle was before helping anyone. She saw God in everyone and did not ask any such discriminatory questions or supervise others to conduct such a discriminatory practice. When she was dealing with the poor and the suffering all those years, wasn't she Catholic and "dealing with God?"
It appears to me that the Archbishops are trying to take the "Charity" out of being "Catholic.”
butterfly, with all due
butterfly, with all due respect, John Allen clearly states in this article that Archbishop Charles Chaput, "objected to a bill currently before the Colorado General Assembly which, as he described it, would restrict the ability of charities sponsored by religious groups to hire and fire personnel on the basis of religious beliefs." No where in this article does John Allen state nor does he imply that Archbishop Chaput suggests restrictions on helping the poor.
Perfect Charity requires perfect Love. Perfect Love requires the fullness of Truth.
I'm not sure what you mean
I'm not sure what you mean by this AnneD.
"Perfect Charity requires perfect Love. Perfect Love requires the fullness of Truth."
God does not require charity, for He is charity. God does not require Truth, for He is Truth.
God does not require perfection, for He is perfect.
We require God. We are "perfected" in Him.
God is Perfect Love. God is Perfect Charity. God is Perfect Truth.
Hello Anne, You said: "No
Hello Anne,
You said: "No where in this article does John Allen state nor does he imply that Archbishop Chaput suggests restrictions on helping the poor."
Anne, please go back and read the article again, and John's more recent one on the same subject.
John's article more than implies in its entirety that the Vatican official and Archbishop Chaput want to close down Catholic charities in Denver IF the Bill is passed that would put restrictions on the Church's ability to "hire or fire" based on "religious" reasons.
If the Archbishops are "serious" about closing the Catholic charities, does that not "suggest restrictions on helping the poor?" Then, what does it do? What would the consequences be for the poor who rely on the Catholic charities if the Church shuts down those charities?
Bishop Chaput simply
Bishop Chaput simply realizes that the harm that would be done by denying the fullness of the Truth is much greater than the harm that would be done by closing the doors to Catholic Charities and using those resources in some other capacity to help the poor. As Catholics, have you forgotten Christ's message that man does not live by bread alone? There are numerous references to this in the New Testament. In fact, I would argue that Christ makes this very clear. Catholic Charities has been around for many years and has done many wonderful things for the poor within the framework of Catholic Social teaching. Shame on anyone who is trying to but obstacles in the way of Catholic Charities, restricting Catholic Charities from helping the poor.
Unfortunately Bishop Chaput
Unfortunately Bishop Chaput will be giving up all the state and federal resources which Catholic Charities has used to run social services programs, so he will not have those resources to use in some other capacity to help the poor. Critically needed programs, especially those in mental health services, and the jobs associated with them, will be lost.
It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. When this happened in Boston most of the board of Boston Catholic Charities walked out in protest.
I have not forgotten Christ's message, nor do I use quotes of His to justify callous disregard for the poor and homeless. The issue for Catholic Charities should not be Catholic Identity but finding competent, caring, and qualified people to administer their services.
"Bishop Chaput simply
"Bishop Chaput simply realizes that the harm that would be done by denying the fullness of the Truth is much greater than the harm that would be done by closing the doors to Catholic Charities and using those resources in some other capacity to help the poor."
This statement does not make any sense at all. Please clarify what "resources in some other capacity to help the poor" you are referring to, the harm that "Chaput simply realizes," and who is denying the fullness of the Truth and what you mean by that?
Please see the Catholic Charities website to see what they are doing and look at their Annual Report to see all the services they provide in the region as well as the Sources of Support & Revenue. Then tell me who will be harmed if Catholic Charities shuts down for the idiotic reasons proposed by Bishop Chaput.
The website is: www.Catholiccharitiesdenver.org
"Shame on anyone who is trying to but obstacles in the way of Catholic Charities, restricting Catholic Charities from helping the poor."
Shame on Bishop Chaput!
Since when does the fullness
Since when does the fullness of the Truth have anything to do with excluding people from participating in charity work because they are not members of the institutional church? You and Bishop Chaput are assuming that employing people from other religions would lead to their promoting those religious beliefs over the beliefs of the Catholic Church rather than to their giving valuable help to the accomplishment of charitable goals.
As someone whose voluntary contributions of assistance have been turned away at the parish where I attend church with my children, even when they were directed to helping with my own children, I think I know that the kind of "Truth" that lives in fear of others is not the real Truth. This, in fact, is one of several factors that has contributed to my changing my mind about becoming Catholic. This kind of insularity is not Christianity.
I would argue again that no
I would argue again that no one is restricting Catholic Charities from helping the poor. Catholic Charities has no right to use taxes paid by Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Atheists and Agnostics to promote their Catholic teachings. The Pharisees also felt it was more important to follow the Law than to help the poor and they were condemned many times by Jesus.
That is because some
That is because some Pharisees were not following GOD'S LAW.
Ah, but the rub...they
Ah, but the rub...they thought they were following GOD'S LAW. Their interpretation of how to do that was to put an observance of the letter of the law over and above the meaning--the spirit of the law--was it not?
Anne, don't you think that
Anne, don't you think that what the hungry, poor, and abused seek when they come to church ministries for health is not truth in some doctrinal or catechetical sense?
The truth they seek is bread, from the hand of a minister of Jesus--those who hand out bread rather than stones.
The truth they seek is a listening ear, a welcoming smile, perhaps a warm embrace, from those who embody the love and acceptance of Jesus in the world.
It's that kind of truth, in my humble opinion, that connects people to the Truth who is Christ, rather than doctrinal statements or lines from the catechism--or even, I dare to say, rather than quotes from the bible.
William D. Lindsey
"No where in this article
"No where in this article does John Allen state nor does he imply that Archbishop Chaput suggests restrictions on helping the poor."
Uhm, Anne could you please explain how you interpret this then:
"Chaput, known for his candor, did not mix words about the possible fallout from the bill: If a Catholic charity “can no longer have the freedom it needs to be ‘Catholic,’ it will end its services,” he warned.
“This is not idle talk,” Chaput added. “I am very serious.”"
Do you honestly think closing down the largest NGO in the Rocky Mountain region isn't going to put some 'restrictions' on helping the poor? Isn't this actually placing the burden of Catholic identity issues on the recipients as well as the providers? When Jesus spoke about the need for charity to our fellow man I don't believe he meant unless it effects Catholic identity. Maybe because He wasn't Catholic.:)
Colcoch, I responded to Anne
Colcoch,
I responded to Anne & then saw what you wrote. Talk about being on the same page....
I'm glad I'm not the only one around here who 'sees' what is going on with some "perfect truth." (This was meant to be humorous).....
Ouch! That hurts. ( just
Ouch! That hurts. ( just kidding , sort of )
" Man does not Live by bread alone." Bishop Chaput understands his oath of fidelity to Jesus Christ. Although there are examples of Christ feeding His people with food in the New Testament,
when He speaks of the actual " Bread of Life", He is refering to The Word, The Truth, The Eucharist. This is what Catholics believe.
Colkoch, before you start saying that Christ was not Catholic, just remember, He was baptized by His cousin, John. He clearly considers Himself part of the Church that He Has Founded.
P.S., Butterfly, What do you say Jesus meant when He said, " Man does not live by bread alone."
(Hint: It is not water nor is it wine, as suggested by Joey Tinto in Sister Mary's Fourth Grade religion class. I believe he also suggested Lasagna, but Joey was always a bit of a wise guy.)
But then He would also be
But then He would also be part of any other Christian denomination which has a valid baptism. Sometimes I think some Catholics want to forget that.
With all due
With all due respect,Colkoch, which other Christian denomination are you suggesting He Has Founded? ( He could not have been Baptized into any other Church because they did not exist.) Regarding the question of feeding the poor, "It is written: 'One does not live by bread alone but by every Word that comes forth from the mouth of God.'" (Mt.4:4) We all know that there are plenty of other examples in the Bible.
Jesus was Baptized right before He chose His Apostles and started His Church. "Be not afraid, I go before you always, come follow Me and I will bring you rest."
His Desire is that we all be united, speaking in one voice, His Voice.
Anne the operative word in
Anne the operative word in my post was 'valid' with regards to baptism, and there are numerous denominations whose baptism is recognized as valid. Jesus did not found Roman Catholicism. He founded a Jewish sect, which mostly by the efforts of Paul, became open to all. Roman Catholicism, as we now know it, is a much later development, spurred on by Constantine's conversion in the 300's. Up until the council of Nicea, called by Constantine, there were many versions of Christianity, some of which still exist, and all had valid baptisms.
I don't claim to know what Jesus wants with regards to unity, but I suspect any believer who follows Him is united with every other believer on a level we know nothing about, but He does.
colkoch.blogtoolkit.com
Please! Your church is like
Please! Your church is like the pastor here who took the youth group money that they raise for fuel oil to buy vestments "so it would be something lasting." Jesus was concerned about the hungry and he gave them real food. Your kind of religion kills the spirit as well as the body.
I'm guessing that it
I'm guessing that it actually fits around comfortably (with enough stretching to lead somewhere), and that that which nurtures one spirit would kill another, and that is what we don't understand well enough to stay comfortable with each other, but Jesus understands enough to stay comfortable with each and all, all at the same time.
Actually,acoolmom007, it is
Actually,acoolmom007, it is His Church. Tell me how His Church "kills the spirit as well as the body".
I believe you describe Your
I believe you describe Your Church. Jesus talked about how we should live, how we should treat one another. He did not fuss about kneeling, bowing, when to speak, which way to face, etc. He left that to the Pharisees. And the two commandments He told us to live by? But then I suppose you would say missing Mass on Sunday is not loving God?
Killing the spirit is when no one talks to you in Church. Or gays are considered sinners, but the businessman who lays off employees to increase his profits, but tithes, is a "Pillar of the Church". Or our bishop tries to reinstate a priest who "was inappropriate with boys but it wasn't a criminal offense." And the pedophile he had living with him in the rectory? Father didn't know he was abusing children? And I am sure others can give a million more examples.
I try to live as God asks us to, but some , like the Pharisees, lay burdens on us we cannot bear.
It boils down to this: If
It boils down to this: If you take the Queen's shilling, you have to do the Queen's bidding. All Catholic Charities has to do is refuse any government subsidies of any kind and they will not be under the kind of pressure they don't want.
There is a question here
There is a question here that has not been answered yet. Did Chaput refuse someone employment or continued employment because he/she was non Catholic or because he/she was anti-catholic. If it is because he/she is non catholic then the Archbishop should be tried as a law breaker and breaker of the comandments then the organisation has no reason to fear. If it was because of anti-catholic feelings then the Archbishop was right. If the incident was hypothetical, we do not need to worry. If it is a question of insurance the church is big enough to offer an insurance allowance that is equal in value to the insurance package offered by the church. So many conflicts can be solved if we get rid of the chip on the Catholic shoulder which conservative catholics seem to have.
There is a nebulously
There is a nebulously defined separation, between church and state in this country. We must respect that. If the church feels the need to separate itself from state funds because there are compromising strings attached, then it should do so and move on. Don't blame the state, (or those who defend it) for promoting it's own agenda, i.e., the satisfaction of ALL it's people .
From a practical standpoint,
From a practical standpoint, I can't even begin to imagine the economic drain that would be put on the Government if these agencies had to close down. The same would be true if all the Catholic elementary schools and highschools closed down. I would think that the Colorado General Assembly would consider this simply from a practical view.
Anne, Catholic Charities
Anne, Catholic Charities doesn't 'have' to close down. Archbishop Chaput is making the decision that maintaining the purity of Catholic Identity is more important than serving the needs of the people of his diocese. He's just blaming the ADL and the Colorado legislature for HIS decision. I'd be really surprised if the rank and file of Catholic Charities seriously wants to lose their jobs over the fact a non Catholic or god forbid, a gay person was hired.
This is just one more example, in a long line of examples, where the Catholic aristocracy jams their views down the throats of everyone else. Apparently for Chaput it's not enough to deny dissenting Catholics communion over "Identity issues" now he's threatening to cost innocent Catholics their jobs. I bet he gets to be a cardinal.
I hope he will become a
I hope he will become a Cardinal. Unlike you, however, Bishop Chaput does not consider this a position of power but rather he sees his role as a servant in fidelity to Christ.
Ideally I see such positions
Ideally I see such positions as one of SERVICE to the people--a point I have repeatedly made. I will continue to see archbishop Chaput as a power broker as long as he continues to use his position to influence state and federal policies he doesn't like, or thinks the Church should be exempt from.
I suspect that you and I will never come to agreement on this issue because I don't place Catholic identity or fidelity to the magisterium on the same level as I do Christ's command to love God and love others.
Well said, Col! Wish I could
Well said, Col! Wish I could be this succinct!
Anne, I think from a
Anne, I think from a "practical" standpoint, it would be wiser and "charitable" for the Archbishops to continue with the Catholic charities and learn to live with a little "impracticality" than to see others suffer.
Also, thinking of this only from the viewpoint of the government or the Church totally negates the reason for the charities to begin with, and that is to help people in need... right?
From the standpoint of the poor and in need, it would be more than impractical and quite possibly unbearable and they'd see it as a failure of the Church to close its doors, don't you think?
A question, of course, is
A question, of course, is whether the fact that Catholic Charities receives government funding for some of its humanitarian program results in those employees who are working on those programs doin a "government job."
He who pays the piper calls
He who pays the piper calls the tune. Either a religious charity should not be accepting public funds, or if it does accept money forced from people of all faiths and no faith, it should run its social projects according to secular rules. In any case, it should continue to engage in social projects, because its religious teaching calls upon it to do these good deeds.
Archbishop Chaput, as
Archbishop Chaput, as reported in the Q&A session below, states that Catholic Charities will continue with or without public funds.
I still find myself sitting
I still find myself sitting in amazement that anyone could try to require people to deny the very reason for the existence of a charitable organization. To deny us the right to come together as Catholics and help make the world a better place is to deny humanity itself. We have an undeniable right to use our freedom of speech to name an organization according to our own preferences. To try and prevent this is absolute lunacy.
I fear these very actions will spark temptations toward anti-semitism. It is painful to watch people shoot themselves in the feet. I pray that cooler heads will prevail and reason and honest communication will help the Anti-defamation League to come to its senses. We are not their enemy. We are their friend.
If not mistaken, I believe
If not mistaken, I believe the issue is over the use of public monies, not the issue of doing charity work with private monies.
As God would have it. I
As God would have it.
I went on a Tour of my Local Catholic Charities today. What a Blessing. After 16 hours as volunteer Poll worker yesterday. I had a hard time making it to Tour on time today. But I made it. The Interim Director for Catholic Charities had come to a mass at my Church probably in Late November or early December. She made a wonderful presentation and I signed up for a Tour after Mass. Well today I attended the first Tour of the new Project called the Hope Works Wonder TOUR. Of course I went to main help center down town because that's all I knew of. I had forgotten that the volunteer had told me if was in a different part of town, until a guy in the center told me. Then I remembered and hurried over.
Well to make a long story short as God would have it I drove right to the place without knowing exactly where it was and sat down in the only seat available in the circle right next to the director. A very warm and loving person she began with her story, got to the history of Catholic Charities in Santa Rosa. It came as a satellite off San Francisco in a one room office in 1954. It's grown to the size it is now serving close to 50,000 people a year in Lake, Napa and Sonoma Counties. While receiving NO MONEY from the Church and maintaining itself off of private donations, endowments, gifts and grants it currently runs on a 5 million dollar a year budget. As the director said, "We are very frugal."
The three main areas of service are to the elderly,(seniors), Family Services, and Immigration services. They have about 20 programs under those three main categories. We saw a box of food the deliver up in to the hills on the Rural food program. a Box with canned and boxed food. WE heard the elderly with Alzheimers participating in activities in the next room. Every morning volunteers call about 120 elders who are home alone. We saw people who had been helped by Catholic Charities now volunteering thousands of hours yearly to help others. So moved were they to have this help in there hour of need with no questions asked. No religion force upon them, just loving human beings to help them lift themselves up in their time of need. And now they do that for others.
You know Butterfly's example about Mother Teresa is exactly what this program is like. It's evangelization in it's highest form. It's practicing and Living the "Living Gospel" of Christ. they aren't evangelizing from a book, they are evangelizing for the center of their hearts and beings. Jesus didn't say go read the Bible to people, he said when there hungry give them food, when naked, clothing, when without shelter, housing, when aliens from another country, bring them into community.
Catholic Charities doesn't teach this by reading it to people they teach it by "Living it" with people. And the coolest thing about it...is they do it with Love.
NOW THAT moves your heart! :-)
The more we discover how much we are Loved by God, the more we want to do God's Will
Here's a brief link to my Catholic Charities site:
http://www.srcharities.org/