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In one of its 2011 newsletters, CCHD proudly describes the work of grantee AMOS, an acronym for A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy. AMOS is a local affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation, an Alinskyian organizing network that rallies congregations and other institutions for political advocacy.
AMOS was given a CCHD grant to help it advocate for a mobile obstetric clinic. “The mobile clinic is the happy result of a five-year effort by AMOS’s 29 member organizations, including Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Dubuque and the Diocese of Des Moines.”[i]
AMOS was one of four organizations involved in creating the Ames clinic. ‘The clinic was created from a partnership of AMOS (A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy), MICA (Mid-Iowa Community Action), Broadlawn Hospital in Des Moines, and Des Moines University.”[ii] It’s insightful to look at these other partners.
MICA (Mid-Iowa Community Action) is one of a number of associated organizations were established in the 1960s as “delivery systems that maximize the federal, state and local resources in providing services to citizens.”[iii] That is, they connect poorer citizens into government-funded programs such as Head Start, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and others.[iv]
Among the key programs MICA uses is PROMISE JOBS, described as a “supportive, informational, and a true collaborative effort [that] gives each family an opportunity to access not only positive programs but an increased network of support.” [v] Available to all PROMISE JOBS participants – and therefore to all MICA clients - are “Family Planning Services – An option for everyone referred to PROMISE JOBS. Participants can find out how additional children can affect a family’s finances.”[vi]
Then, there’s Broadlawns Medical Center – a hospital – in Des Moines, another one of the partners that, along with the CCHD-funded AMOS, was responsible for establishing the Ames Mobile Clinic. Broadlawns’ Variety Club Women’s Health Center Family Planning Clinic provides a broad range of “specialized services and care for women” that include birth control counseling, emergency contraception, and something ominously called “pregnancy options,”[vii] a term used by Planned Parenthood to include abortion.
continue at Spero News
Each year, parishes take up a special collection, in November, for the Catholic Campaign Human Development (CCHD). CCHD is the domestic anti-poverty program of the U.S. Catholic bishops.
CCHD works to break the cycle of poverty by helping low-income people participate in decisions that affect their lives, families, and communities. Half of the funds collected for CCHD stay in the diocese for programs in the diocese and the other half is dedicated to national projects/programs.
While many seek out answers to questions arising with regard to organizations previously assisted through the CCHD collection, Bishop Morlino has assured the Diocese of Madison that until he is personally confident that funds collected from the faithful of the Diocese of Madison will not be used to fund groups which violate the teaching of the Church by their policies, and he will continue to seek out other helpful ways to assist those in need.
• In 2008, Bishop Morlino dedicated the national portion toward the assistance of the victims of Hurricane Ike, through the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
• In 2009, Bishop Morlino dedicated the national portion to support the work of the Little Sisters of the Poor and their international outreach to the elderly.
• In 2010, prior to the full body of the USCCB discussing the funds and future of CCHD, Bishop Morlino decided that the national portion of the collection would go to benefit the work of the Community of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR), led by Fr. Benedict Groeschel. Central to the CFR mission is to serve the materially poor, most especially the destitute and homeless. “We know Fr. Benedict and the CFRs to be unreproachable,” said a statement from the diocese.
It is the bishop’s hope that this coming year will find an even greater number of the faithful prepare to give generously to the local CCHD collection, as well as a greater outreach of service in love to those in need.
details at MadCatHerald
