We ran a couple news stories last week about reforms being made at the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (See: Bishops defend Catholic Campaign for Human Development), and Michael Sean Winters told us what is right about CCHD (See Catholic identity demands the work the CCHD promotes).
Here's a couple comments about what is wrong with CCHD: Bishops play defense on anti-poverty initiative.
"It never addresses sin as the root cause of poverty, which means it never addresses Christ as a remedy," he said.
The Religion News Service story that quotes Hichborn doesn't specify the sin that causes poverty. Perhaps he means structural sin, for example, predatory loans, redlining neighborhoods, underfunded school districts, or wage theft?
Of course to address those sins, one needs more than personal repentance. You gotta get folks organized.
"The groups they are dealing with, community organizing groups, are 100 percent committed members of the political left. That's just a fact," said Hudson, a former adviser to the Republican National Committee and former President George W. Bush.
Hudson strongly denied that politics play any role in his concern about CCHD, but said leftist groups nearly always conflict with Catholic doctrine on issues like gay rights and abortion.
Oops. I guess we can't get organized because we just can't trust the organizers. What to do?
Maybe Hudson and Hichborn can get together and come up with some solution to fight structural sin.
