Controversy: Development and Peace Funding Pro-Abortion Groups

The CCODP has always been driven by political ideology; in fact, by a political ideology of the left, even more so than by its Catholic religious motivation. To this, I will return in a moment. Meanwhile, it should have been extra careful in choosing foreign partners not involved in activities opposing the Church’s pro-active family policies. But D&P, unlike the American Catholic Relief Services, does not check with local bishops in foreign countries (something, by the way, that would outrage Canadian bishops if this happened in their own dioceses).

Of the $438,000 (Cdn) given to Mexican “projects” in 2007-2008, only $50,000 went to the Mexican branch of Caritas, the international Vatican relief organization which now operates in over 150 countries, principally through on-the-spot local Caritas groups who remain in existence from year to year to help the poor and to channel international aid when disasters strike, like hurricanes, floods and famines. The rest of the Canadian funding goes to “partners” who, as it now turns out, are almost exclusively devoted to leftist political causes (LifeSiteNews.com, March 11, 2009). Over the projected five-year period 2006-2011, five Mexican abortion-advocating groups stand to receive a total of $850,000 (Cdn).