Bishop Roger Morin, chairman of the US Bishops’ subcommittee which oversees the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), rose in defense of the group at the Bishops’ fall conference, after receiving harsh criticism and calls for a boycott of a second collection by lay groups concerned about its ties to controversial activity.

St. Michael Society has already covered the controversy here and here, as have other groups.  So, there is no need to rehash all of the debate.  However, it is important to highlight something that the Bishop said yesterday that actually validates ours concerns instead of alleviating them.

According to CNA, Bishop Morin said the following in support of CCHD, thinking that it would help CCHD recoup some of its good reputation.

“You will recall that CCHD was the first national group to cut funds for ACORN,” he added, referring to the community organizing group that was accused of voter fraud in 2008.

With all due respect to the Bishop, he just made our point!  We have never said that the USCCB was intentionally funding activities that are contrary to the Catholic faith (and basic natural law), but only that these groups were in fact receiving Catholic funds.  Plain and simple.  And without any sort of assurance that you have implemented a real strategy to weed out any other questionable groups, or to prevent it from happening in the future, I think American Catholics are justified in their desire to continue with the planned boycott this weekend of the second collection that funds CCHD.