Too close for comfort: CCHD, sex and abortion

Human Events, Nov 20, 1998 by Reilly, Patrick

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) also opposes a partial-birth abortion ban and considers abortion a "fundamental right" AAUW has gone on record supporting military access to abortion, federal funding for family planning and health insurance coverage for contraception.

The Minnesota AIDS Project promotes "safe sex" among homosexuals. It produced a film, On the Safe Side, that encourages condom use. The project also distributes condoms and "safer sex" information to gay and bisexual men in bars and clean syringes to drug users on the street.

Children's Defense Fund

Two of the organizations receiving indirect support through CCH-coalitions have no official position on abortion. But the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) and the Proposed 'Moral Guidelines For Funding by CCHD'

These new guidelines for CCS grants are expected to be approved at the Catholic bishops' meeting this week.

1. Central to all Catholic moral teaching is the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death The Catholic Campaign for Human Development fCC HD) will consider favorably only those projects which demonstrate respect for the dignity of the human person CCHD will not consider fer projects or organizations which promote or support abortion. euthanasia, the death penalty or any other affront to human life and dignity.

2. CCHD funds will be used to support only projects that conform to Catholic teachirig. These funds must be applied exclusively to support the project approved for ftg.

3. CCHD funds will not be used to support any project xt hich is sponsored or promoted by an organization whose primao or suibstntial thin(st is contrary to Catholic teaching, eie if the prject itself is in accord with (ittiolic teaching.

4. CCHD may be asked to support a specific project of art organization that also inridentally lpirticipates in othei activities or coal itionis whose own activities may not alwoas con,form uth Catholic teaching. Irr sitc cases, fimding decisions will be ma tie in accord with the h-aditina/ Catholic moral prineip/es tyr

5. CCHD requires applicants to adhere. in the administration o;' the fioded prr,ject. to these basic principles srftirfa an thicl are ('enil to CCHD's Catholic Mission. March of Dimes are anathema to many prolife activists, because their activities suggest tacit approval and support for abortion and family planning.

CDF has been criticized by pro-life activists for promoting school-based health clinics without regard to their often heavy emphasis on family planning services. In 1997 Advocates for Youth reported 85% of school health centers offer "reproductive health" and birth control services, 39% prescribe oral contraceptives and nearly as many provide abortion "counseling" or information to children. It is not known how many clinics refer students to abortion clinics.

National Right to Life Committee President Dr. Wanda Franz told American News Service last year, "They're [schoolbased clinics] primarily concerned with reaching students with reproductive services and information"