Scare Lent
The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (D&P) has come under appropriate scrutiny in recent years, far too late for those who long knew (but whose concerns were ignored) D&P was in bed with groups not well aligned with Catholic teaching.
Tantrum
- a fit of bad temper
Certain groups, groups under investigation, now are complaining that... .
...the investigation, conducted by an "opaque" committee that included staff of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and Development and Peace, was surrounded by secrecy. The four Philippine partners affected by the moratorium have never been told why Development and Peace is withholding funds raised from its Share Lent campaign.
Philippine groups also have "no way to know the charges against them," said the signatories, upset that "the truth of the charges is determined by an opaque ad hoc committee."
"We regard this as deeply unfair and inconsistent with the partnership principles and practices to which D&P proudly declares itself adherent," said the letter, obtained by the French Canadian Catholic news agency Presence. Development and Peace's temporary moratorium, the letter added, is already affecting "peacebuilding, agrarian reform, urban shelter and community development work in the Philippines."
"For a distant and anonymous committee with no knowledge of our circumstances, our lived experiences, or the challenges facing us, to make summary and unilateral judgments of us at a time of growing authoritarianism is deeply dangerous(.)"
By leveling unjustified criticism at the investigators who merely want to ensure good stewardship of Share Lent donations, these same groups which have come under intense scrutiny imagine themselves to be entitled to the hard-earned money of Catholic Canadians, Canadians who are under the impression that D&P allocates those funds to support "justice, solidarity and peace projects fully in keeping with the values and principles of the Gospel and Catholic Social Teaching(.)"
"For a distant and anonymous committee with no knowledge of our circumstances, our lived experiences, or the challenges facing us, to make summary and unilateral judgments of us... is deeply dangerous." It would seem that those groups under investigation are attempting to guilt investigators into ignoring their duty to ensure funds are not going to support unethical enterprises. It may be that certain groups are desperate for funding. Any delay in funding can be laid at the feet of D&P administrators who misdirected funds and thereby created the circumstances which necessitated investigations and delays, i.e. that funds be held in trust until funding destinations could be determined to conform to Catholic standards. Investigators, therefore, do not deserve the hostile rhetoric leveled at them. It is neither condescending nor insensitive, given the relatively short delay, to suggest that the appropriate response by Caritas Phillipines should be patience, not consternation. Protest tends to cast suspicion upon the motives of those who feel entitled to donations. Caritas Philippines doth protest too much, methinks.
Let us recall that... .
(t)he bishops’ latest investigation into D&P began in late 2017, with a February 2018 interim report revealing the charity partnered with at least 40 (anti-Catholic) groups in developing countries(.)
The March 29 joint update from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and D&P confirmed the review has identified 52 of the Catholic aid organization’s 183 partner organizations as problematic.
In 2018, Development and Peace implemented a funding moratorium “on all 52 partners until all questions regarding their suitability have been resolved,” according to the statement, which adds the moratorium will remain in place until the review is done.
“All funds collected for the 2019 Share Lent campaign, as also was the case last year, will be used to support other justice, solidarity and peace projects fully in keeping with the values and principles of the Gospel and Catholic Social Teaching,” it says.
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