"Who's funding the Catholic bishops' religious freedom campaign?"

[hedgehog]

ATLANTA -- On Thursday, Catholics across the country will amplify what is an already loud outcry from the hierarchy over the federal government's so-called contraception mandate.

But while Catholic leaders frame the events as a fight for religious liberty, critics see signs of political partisanship and electioneering. Questions over the financing of the bishops' campaign have caused those suspicions to multiply.

"The activities around the Fortnight for Freedom cost money," said Steve Schneck, director of the Institute for Policy Research & Catholic Studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington. "What groups are paying for this, and what's the accountability for that money?

"The Knights of Columbus are clearly one of the major sources of funding (against the mandate), as well as other fraternal organizations," Schneck said.

http://ncronline.org/news/politics/whos-funding-catholic-bishops-religious-freedom-campaign

Carl Albert Anderson, KSG (born February 27, 1951) is the thirteenth and current Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus. Anderson is vice president of the Washington session of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family.

In addition, Anderson serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the National Catholic Educational Association as well as the supervisory council of the Vatican Bank. He also holds a seat on the International Board of Advisors of the Wheelchair Foundation.

During the administration of Ronald Reagan, Anderson served in various positions of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, including special assistant to the President and acting director of the White House Office of Public Liaison. Following his service at the White House, Anderson served for nearly a decade as a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. From 1976-81 he was a legislative assistant to Senator Jesse Helms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_A._Anderson

[msongs]

1. poor people from whom the church extorts money under threat of hell and damnation? nt

[hedgehog]

2. It's worse than that - the K of C raises money 1. by selling life insurance

to its members (That's why Father McGivney founded the Knights back in 1882, as a mutual aid society to support widows and orphans)

and 2. by asking its members to raise money. Read the comments on the article - guys join the Knights so they can get together and do some good for the local community, such as build a shrine or fix up someone's house.

[awoke_in_2003]

3. Every catholic who gives to the church. Nt

[blm]

4. Rev Moon has a long record of funding fundamentalist groups of all the religions.

Rev Moon is even closely involved with Farrakhan. This nation's churchgoers would be surprised about how deeply Moon has been involved in their 'religions' and their RW political activities.

[JHB]

5. Hmm. Anderson's career is entirely political jobs, founations, universities, and non-governmental...

...organizations.

My conservative relatives usually rail against people with such resumes as "career bureaucrats who never held a real job."

[bobbieinok]

6. PLEASE check out 'bilgrimage' blog

He's a Catholic theologian very worried that USA bishops and cardinals are working extremely hard to get Catholic voters in swing states to vote AGAINST Obama. There's lots of info there.

Very troubling.

CHECK IT OUT!!!

[hedgehog]

7. That's an excellent blog!