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One of my previous editors, Fr. Tom Brundage of the Milwaukee Catholic Herald, often shared a Gospel passage with his staff when disputes arose between them. Quoting Matthew's Gospel, he said, "If another person hurts you, go and talk to him." (Chapter 8:15-20). In other words, confront your challenger and work things out.
This credo came to mind after a letter addressed to "Good Pro-Life/Pro-Family Friends" was e-mailed to individuals around the state. Three copies were forwarded to my e-mail box. The letter was filled with inaccuracies and innuendo based on a single fact. It even questioned Bishop David Ricken's commitment to the pro-life cause.
Let's review the events that led to the letter and the underlying motive behind the dispute.
The controversy surrounded two local faith-based social justice groups, JOSHUA and ESTHER, which are part of a state organization known as WISDOM. This latter group is part of a national social justice organization called the Gamaliel Foundation.
JOSHUA and ESTHER, which have strong ties to the religious communities in Green Bay and the Fox Cities, joined a national coalition calling for health care reform. The coalition is under the auspices of Health Care for America Now (HCAN). According to Stephanie Gyldenvand, a spokesperson for ESTHER, HCAN's statement of principles mirrored the health care concerns espoused by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. However, HCAN - without the approval of coalition members - recently began advocating for abortion funding in health care reform.
ESTHER's Web site included syndicated health care news provided by HCAN. Gyldenvand said that one of the stories posted on its Web site Nov. 7 was headlined: "Call today to defeat the Stupak anti-abortion amendment."
The headline caught the attention of Jolene Churchill, who is a legislative assistant to State Sen. Glenn Grothman. This single fact - HCAN's news report on the ESTHER Web site - was the basis for Churchill's e-mail.
Gyldenvand explained that, once the social justice groups learned about HCAN's support for abortion funding in health care reform, they cut ties to the group and ESTHER removed the news feed from its Web site.
It was an unfortunate series of events that should have ended there. Instead of contacting representatives of ESTHER, JOSHUA, WISDOM or the Diocese of Green Bay to express her dismay, as Fr. Brundage would have encouraged, Churchill penned an e-mail. In the subject line she wrote: "Green Bay Catholic Bishop Funds Pro-Abortion Group-ESTHER."
Here we begin to see the primary motive for her actions.
Churchill's letter was an attempt to discredit not only ESTHER, but the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), which provides funding to grassroots, self-help programs. ESTHER uses its CCHD funding to teach leadership skills to immigrants.
One of several attachments that accompanied Churchill's e-mail was a protest card. It was intended for people to print out and drop in the collection basket Nov. 21 and 22, when the church sponsors its annual national collection for CCHD. The cards are sponsored by the American Life League.
CCHD, the U.S. bishops' domestic anti-poverty social justice program, has come under attack by some Catholics who see support for ecumenical, social action and immigration reform groups as questionable use of funds. Indeed, some groups who have received CCHD funding have been found to support issues contrary to Catholic teachings.
The problem, however, has not been CCHD's support of these groups. The problem, as with HCAN, is that groups sometimes change their positions - for example, supporting legislation that is opposed by the church - without CCHD's knowledge. When conflicts arise and CCHD learns about them, financial support is terminated.
The U.S. bishops support CCHD. They probably appreciate citizen watchdog groups who can monitor organizations receiving CCHD funding. However, when those watchdogs have ulterior motives, it can lead to unpleasant endings.
Instead of "exposing scandals" that she says are "more and more rampant in Wisconsin's Catholic Church," Churchill exposed a flaw in her pro-life ministry. It's not charitable and, as such, it's not always life-giving.
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