“Investment portfolio losses” seems a bit odd. I was curious so I ran a quick simulation for what would happen if you just parked money in the s&p 500 from April 2019 to April 2024, and the return is over 50%. Perhaps someone with more investment experience for large nonprofits can say what something like CCHD would have invested in that led to losses over that period. Hopefully not London real estate!
Is the CCHD audited annually by a reputable auditor? An abrupt departure by the CEO and reserves seemingly melting away sounds more like something financially inappropriate has been going on. Especially when considering how much the stock market has risen over the past 4-5 years. I could be wrong but I did spend a lot of years in the finance industry.
The USCCB headquarters is sitting practically empty, from what I understand, since the pandemic. So much of the work of the paid staff can be done remotely just as effectively.
“Catholics can be confident that the Catholic Campaign for Human Development does not fund organizations that violate the moral or social teaching of the Church.”
Why am I so distrustful of this statement...?
Please check out the reporting on CCHD and CRS done by the Lepanto Institute.
That statement that the catholic values are taken seriously and that funding doesn’t go to projects/organizations that contradict morals is nothing more than a PR move.
It’s very well-established that CCHD and CRS both not only regularly fund and promote organizations/projects with grave moral evils, but also outright lie and quibble when questioned on these things.
The investigative journalism of the past 5-10 years has shown the deep rot of CCHD/CRS, and also that bishops clamp down hard on any discussion on them; it’s gotten to the point where some bishops when questioned by investigative journos have said in response: “listen, you need to stop asking so many questions!”
But of course, in the end the only thing that actually leads to their diminishment is financials… it’s all about the Benjamins, baby.
This organization would have to be getting most of its funding from the pockets of Catholics sitting in the pews during the annual second collection. The fact that its funding had tanked has to mean that those Catholics are keeping their wallets closed as far as CCHD is concerned. Blanket "trust us" statements to the Bishops are not going to open those wallets again.
Hopefully this organization will get its books straightened out. It does provide valuable help to the disenfranchised. However, since the social justice umbrella is ever so wide and may include areas that donors or future donors may find outside the realm of effective and relevant delivery of resources, maybe going forward it should focus on areas that are above scrutiny (i.e. food, clothing, shelter, etc.)? Looking at the past grantees, anything involving "economic justice" or "education" seems a little broad.
I have my own issues with trust in bishops, but I will say that my knowledge of Bishop Senior is positive. He has a Masters in Social Work and an MBA and ran Catholic Charities in Philadelphia for a number of years, and my brief impression of him is that he's a man of integrity. Let's hope he can help to focus CCHD on what it does best.
I have very little trust in any big national or international granting organization, including Catholic ones. There's simply been too many abuses over the past decades. I'd rather donate directly to a local organization with good transparency so I can see where my money is going. I can just as easily help alleviate poverty by giving my donation to the parish food bank that I see my neighbors in need visiting every week to get food.
// The program provides grants to fund community development and economic development initiatives which, “empower low-income people to gain the ability to convene, identify barriers, research issues, brainstorm solutions, and take action to change problematic structures and systems in their communities,” or which help poor and low-income people develop new businesses, create new jobs and develop assets that are owned by families and communities.” //
So it claims to help the poor by helping NGOs that may or may not actually help the poor. Got it.
The only thing USCCB, or the Church writ large, should be funding is evangelization. Right action in society will naturally follow when souls are converted - and that action will be better-run and better-funded. What the CCHD does, on the other hand, smacks of liberation theology in action.
I suspect that the investigations by outside Catholic journalists has a lot to do with its decline. Contrary to the claim that the funds would not go to entities that were in opposition to Catholic teachings both these investigations and my own research about the local organizations that were funded, indicate otherwise.
If this group gave 50 per cent of their income to Catholic families and traditions, it would be thriving. The Lepanto Institute was right on the money. Sorry to the person below but the Campaign for Human development is in need of an audit and review of where there money is allocated. While on the subject, I would also audit the Catholic relief organization. I will never give money to any of them. I tithe to local parish charities only. I have a Catholic obligation to know how and where my donations are used.
“Investment portfolio losses” seems a bit odd. I was curious so I ran a quick simulation for what would happen if you just parked money in the s&p 500 from April 2019 to April 2024, and the return is over 50%. Perhaps someone with more investment experience for large nonprofits can say what something like CCHD would have invested in that led to losses over that period. Hopefully not London real estate!
Is the CCHD audited annually by a reputable auditor? An abrupt departure by the CEO and reserves seemingly melting away sounds more like something financially inappropriate has been going on. Especially when considering how much the stock market has risen over the past 4-5 years. I could be wrong but I did spend a lot of years in the finance industry.
The USCCB headquarters is sitting practically empty, from what I understand, since the pandemic. So much of the work of the paid staff can be done remotely just as effectively.
“Catholics can be confident that the Catholic Campaign for Human Development does not fund organizations that violate the moral or social teaching of the Church.”
Why am I so distrustful of this statement...?
Please check out the reporting on CCHD and CRS done by the Lepanto Institute.
Why no mention of the Lepanto Institute?
That statement that the catholic values are taken seriously and that funding doesn’t go to projects/organizations that contradict morals is nothing more than a PR move.
It’s very well-established that CCHD and CRS both not only regularly fund and promote organizations/projects with grave moral evils, but also outright lie and quibble when questioned on these things.
The investigative journalism of the past 5-10 years has shown the deep rot of CCHD/CRS, and also that bishops clamp down hard on any discussion on them; it’s gotten to the point where some bishops when questioned by investigative journos have said in response: “listen, you need to stop asking so many questions!”
But of course, in the end the only thing that actually leads to their diminishment is financials… it’s all about the Benjamins, baby.
This organization would have to be getting most of its funding from the pockets of Catholics sitting in the pews during the annual second collection. The fact that its funding had tanked has to mean that those Catholics are keeping their wallets closed as far as CCHD is concerned. Blanket "trust us" statements to the Bishops are not going to open those wallets again.
Hopefully this organization will get its books straightened out. It does provide valuable help to the disenfranchised. However, since the social justice umbrella is ever so wide and may include areas that donors or future donors may find outside the realm of effective and relevant delivery of resources, maybe going forward it should focus on areas that are above scrutiny (i.e. food, clothing, shelter, etc.)? Looking at the past grantees, anything involving "economic justice" or "education" seems a little broad.
I have my own issues with trust in bishops, but I will say that my knowledge of Bishop Senior is positive. He has a Masters in Social Work and an MBA and ran Catholic Charities in Philadelphia for a number of years, and my brief impression of him is that he's a man of integrity. Let's hope he can help to focus CCHD on what it does best.
I have very little trust in any big national or international granting organization, including Catholic ones. There's simply been too many abuses over the past decades. I'd rather donate directly to a local organization with good transparency so I can see where my money is going. I can just as easily help alleviate poverty by giving my donation to the parish food bank that I see my neighbors in need visiting every week to get food.
// The program provides grants to fund community development and economic development initiatives which, “empower low-income people to gain the ability to convene, identify barriers, research issues, brainstorm solutions, and take action to change problematic structures and systems in their communities,” or which help poor and low-income people develop new businesses, create new jobs and develop assets that are owned by families and communities.” //
So it claims to help the poor by helping NGOs that may or may not actually help the poor. Got it.
The only thing USCCB, or the Church writ large, should be funding is evangelization. Right action in society will naturally follow when souls are converted - and that action will be better-run and better-funded. What the CCHD does, on the other hand, smacks of liberation theology in action.
I suspect that the investigations by outside Catholic journalists has a lot to do with its decline. Contrary to the claim that the funds would not go to entities that were in opposition to Catholic teachings both these investigations and my own research about the local organizations that were funded, indicate otherwise.
I wouldn’t give that bunch ten cents.
Michael Sean Winters at the New Catholic Register called this article a hit piece! What is it with that guy? Pray for him.
If this group gave 50 per cent of their income to Catholic families and traditions, it would be thriving. The Lepanto Institute was right on the money. Sorry to the person below but the Campaign for Human development is in need of an audit and review of where there money is allocated. While on the subject, I would also audit the Catholic relief organization. I will never give money to any of them. I tithe to local parish charities only. I have a Catholic obligation to know how and where my donations are used.