Aid in South America

Blogger Terrence Berres annually visits Guatemala in what he calls "Frijole days of obligation". His parish group accepts donations (email). Amy Welborn writes:

You might be put off by the bigness of certain charities. They serve their purpose, sure, but you want to make sure that your money and assistance is going as directly to those in need as possible. So you might always be on the lookout for ways to directly help out struggling schools, orphanages, clinics and so on. A lot of parishes and dioceses have just such direct relationships.

So..as an example of such a worthy object for our charity, here's SCOPE: Salvadoran Children of the Poor Education Foundation - a group that funds a single school in El Salvador.

Rwanda Fund

Left to Tell:

Immaculee Ilibagiza is a survivor of the Rwandan holocaust. She now works in the Rwandan Office at the United Nations in New York. She has founded a charity, the 'Left to Tell Foundation' - to raise money for African charities.

The Rwandan genocide left many children without homes and families. After surviving this tragic event, Immaculée Ilibagiza vowed to raise money to help not only orphaned children in Rwanda, but all children of Africa to build better lives. This dream has become a reality with Immaculée’s Left to Tell Charitable Fund.

Immaculée shares her miraculous story of survival in this amazing story. A portion of the proceeds will be donated directly to the Left to Tell Charitable Fund.

Also: Alms for Uganda

Remembering Soldiers Overseas

Wartime Prayer Book from the Archbishop Sheen Foundation. Provides booklet of prayers and meditations for soldiers.

Wounded Warrior Project

Daily Mass Readings and devotionals are being sent to the troops by Word Among Us.

A Priest in Iraq.:

"My friends listen to me when I tell you that faith does not only survive out here: It thrives, it grows, and it spreads. In the shadow of this faith, I am deeply humbled and greatly comforted. I look into the faces of these young Marines and Sailors, and I see God gazing back at me with love."

Who Gives?

Carl Olsen of Insight Scoop has the scoop.

Regarding Pro-Life Organizations

Good Counsel Homes - Christopher Bell and author/psychologist Fr. Benedict Groeschel began the first Good Counsel home in New Jersey to give women in a crisis pregnancy a place where they can have the baby instead of getting an abortion. Providing alternatives to abortion is crucial, especially given how long in coming political solutions have been.

Feminists for Life - Whether you call yourself a feminist or not, this organization presents the life issue as it ought to be presented - in positive terms. Pro-lifers are not against something but for something, and Feminists for Life gets the message out. FFL is unique in pointing out how the early feminists were almost universally against abortion, how they understood it quite accurately as harmful to women and indicative of warped priorities. This organization employs clever advertising on college campuses which educate young people about the past and about how abortion is a male-dominated society's best friend. (Caveating that abortion is nobody's 'friend', given that it indiscriminately kills male and female.)

National Right to Life - the standard-bearer political organization works in the trenches in D.C. and NRLC is interested in the "art of the possible". Wanda Franz, president of National Right to Life, said last year that, "Many of us in the trenches have suffered the arrogant criticism of 'principle' pro-lifers who dismiss our legislative efforts because 'they don't outlaw abortion.'" There are also right-to-life organizations in every state. A respected pastor in our town contributes only to the state organization.

Human Life International - This organization obviously takes a worldwide rather than national perspective. I'm not too familiar with it other than it is headed by Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, STL who confronted FOX host Sean Hannity concerning the use of artificial contraceptives.

The Center for Bio-ethical Reform is famous and controversial for their large trucks panelled with billboard images of aborted children. Visual images are more likely to move people: "CBR operates on the principle that abortion represents an evil so inexpressible that words fail us when attempting to describe its horror. Until abortion is seen, it will never be understood."

American Life League (ALL) - With her "take no prisoners" approach, Judy Brown (who has a Q&A column on EWTN's website) fearlessly engages the culture. ALL names names and, unlike organizations like National Right to Life they don't have to maintain relationships in D.C. and so they can do things like shame politicians by publishing ads of pictures of Catholic politicians who support abortion.

A Possible Solution to "Buried in Paper"

No good deed goes unpunished - sometimes if you give to a charity they bury you with mail. Jocelyn writes:

I am about to withdraw my support from a local Christian (not Catholic) charity. I think they are doing a good thing (running a soup kitchen and homeless shelter), but I am wearied and a bit disgusted by the endless stream of solicitations I am receiving in the mail from them.

My first donation to them was several years ago, at Christmas. This put me on their mailing list, and I began to receive their mailings for their major fundraising campaigns: Easter, Summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Generally, I sent something. Then I thought it would be better to become a monthly donor, and provide consistent support...

Nevertheless, it doesn't sit right with me. I am going to inform this charity that I will be re-directing my funds to other local charities I already support, who don't feel the need to bury me in paper.

What I've recently done has been to go paperless. I set up a Internet Explorer favorites list of charities (most of which are on the right sidebar) and simply donate once a month via online VISA donation. (The links at right all go directly to that organization's online donation screen.) Then I throw away most charity mailings without looking at them.

Guide to Effective Almsgiving

This looks really helpful - Rich Leonardi links to a guide to effective almsgiving:

Pope Benedict has asked us to focus on almsgiving this year, so at the Leonardi home we've been looking at a handful of groups to whom we will send additional financial support. In the nineties, the Acton Institute released a "Guide to Effective Compassion," a list of charities that did excellent work without lobbying the government for funds or favors...I would love to learn about groups in the greater Cincinnati area (and beyond) doing the Lord's work without feeling compelled to collaborate with Caesar. The Little Sisters of the Poor come to mind.

Here is a link to Acton's guide. Released in 1998, it is more or less updated annually by adding recipients of its Samaritan Award. Award-winners are then grouped by region.

The Acton Guide begins:

"There is not a problem in America that isn't being solved somewhere by someone."

Many have uttered these words, but to date little information is available on where those solutions are and who the people are behind them. Here for the first time, is a resource for those who want to find America's hope for solving long-vexing social problems. Contained in these pages are those who transform the lives of the addicted; who give skills to those without jobs; who provide training for life; who prevent teenage pregnancy; and above all who show that the future can be better than the past. This is far from a definitive guide, but it is crucial - a vital - beginning step in changing the course of giving in America.

Planned Parenthood Watchdog Releases New List of Corporate Sponsors

List here.

Charitable Giving in U.S.

Credit: Professionals in Philanthropy

Amy Welborn's List

Catholic author Amy Welborn's list of charities worth our sacrifice. And more here at her old blog.

A Great Need in the Church

Perhaps part of the appeal of Fr. Benedict Groeschel is that he was trained as a psychologist, and he says we need many, many more Christian psychologists.

Perhaps then there's no greater need than for a school like a Catholic graduate school of psychology.

There are too few who can, in the words of Mary Beth Bonacci, "synthesize psychology with spirituality" as Fr. Groeschel can, who has taught at the Institute.

Why IPS?

The Institute for the Psychological Sciences (Institute) was founded in 1997 by a group of mental health professionals, academicians and clinicians, under the leadership of Dr. Gladys Sweeney, who perceived a need for a proper understanding of the interrelationship between psychology and its philosophical foundations.

IPS...is dedicated to the renewal of the Christian intellectual tradition and the development of a psychology consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church and in constructive dialogue with the modern world."

In this time of the "triumph of the therapeutic" (in Philip Rieff's words), it is crucial there be witnesses to the truth that science and religion are not in competition but mutually helpful.

The Middle East's EWTN?

SAT-7 is a Christian satellite network broadcasting to the Middle East.

Archbishop Foley writes, "The Pontifical Council for Social Communications highly commends the aims of SAT-7... and warmly encourages support both spiritual and material for this important project."

Some of the comments they've received from viewers in Saudi Arabia:

“It is my first time to watch SAT-7’s nice programs. It is an interesting channel that really captured my attention. Although I am a non-Christian but I find this channel is a good one to watch.”

...

"I am an admirer of this distinguished channel. I am honoured to have the opportunity to say thank you for these nice programs especially the ones focused on identifying Christianity. I cleave to these programs because I want to know more about Christianity. I wish all the best for your thrilling programs.”

...

"The Lord Jesus entered into my heart, saved me, enlightened my way, and changed my life. Unfortunately I cannot read the Holy Bible because I do not have access to one. I desired eagerly to study the Gospel and to know more about the life of Jesus Christ, my Saviour, but I could not. Today SAT-7 satisfies the desires of my spirit. Words are not enough to express how grateful I am to you.”

The Church in China

What about the Cardinal Kung Foundation?

The Holy Father appears to want to mend the rift between the heroic underground Catholic Church in China and the Communist party-approved Catholic church.

Could giving to the underground church make things worse? What can we do to help? Pray.

(This Atlantic article has details.)

Charity and Politics

CNEWA is a papal charity and would seems a worthy endeavor with a good record.

It helps Christians in the Middle East and it's magazine has something of an anti-Israeli slant. Whatever one thinks about Israel building the wall, the article (can't readily find it online) seemed rather unsided given the lack of explanation as to why Israel would go to the great length of building it. The Palestinians are hardly without sin. This has made me less enthusiastic about supporting CNEWA, although I'm not sure that's a good reason. Especially given the plight of Iraqi Christians.

Catholic Relief Services Has New Mission

Here:

[I]n April 1994, the genocide began – upwards of a million people murdered over a scant three months. All of our carefully cultivated development programs were destroyed. Peace had not been part of our mission.

We took a hard look at ourselves. In the end, all the good work we did – the silos and schools we built, the children we fed, the farms we planted – wasn’t enough. After much reflection, CRS resolved to address not just the symptoms of crisis – the burned out houses, food shortages and refugee movements. We also had to attack the systems and structures that underlie oppression and poverty in so much of the developing world.

We began incorporating a justice-centered focus in all of our programming. And we rediscovered a jewel in our Catholic tradition that has enabled us to do this effectively: Catholic Social Teaching.

Catholic Social Teaching places the dignity of the human person at the center of all we do. With Catholic Social Teaching as our guide, we adopted a new strategy. We started to re-examine all of our work – our programs, our policies, how we relate to the people we serve, how we relate to the Catholic community in the United States, how we relate to one another as fellow employees of CRS – and evaluate our relationships in terms of whether they help to build a culture of justice, peace and reconciliation.

For us, relationships count. Providing assistance can foster harmonious relations or reinforce imbalances in societies.We come for the long term. And we work with local people and organizations, soliciting their input and quickly putting them in charge of their own destinies. We also assess the possible negative impact that our aid might bring so we don’t inadvertently reinforce inequalities or distort the local economy. And we try to identify opportunities for building just and peaceful relationships among groups in the places we serve.

We now know it’s important to consider not only the type of relief that is delivered, but also how it is delivered. CRS wants to avoid making the people we serve become dependent on the aid they receive. Catholic Social Teaching stresses the importance of upholding dignity as well as promoting self-sufficiency. We can’t do the work alone, nor should we.We work and respect local agencies, which are either already our partners or have the potential to become our partners. This is the true meaning of solidarity – not just writing a check, but concrete action on behalf of the suffering.

C.S. Lewis and Charity

The Daily Eudemon sez:

"All this opulence in the heart of a Christian country like ours kinda reminds me of C.S. Lewis’ observation about how much a Christian should give to charity. He didn’t use a percentage formula, opting instead to say that, if a person’s giving didn’t cause him at least a small degree of discomfort or want, then it probably isn’t enough."

So Many Worthy Charities, So Little to Give

I've long been interested in trying to maximize my charitable donation, to give to the best charities and go where the Spirit sendeth. This is a blog to jot down stray thoughts on the subject. I'd prefer this blog remain anonymous, as charitable giving itself should be. I welcome your comments, ideas, suggestions and corrections.

I aim for an allocation of 50% to the Church and 50% to the poor. Last year's allocation went:

My parish church: 43%
Aid to the poor*: 21%
Evangelistic**: 16%
Catholic schools***: 9%
Other: 11%

* = Catholic Relief Services, local food bank, etc...
**= EWTN, Catholic Answers, St. Paul Center, and Catholic Radio Association
***=aid for families with multiple tuitions; Institute for the Psychological Sciences.

I'd like to cover the corporal and spiritual work of mercies although perhaps instead I should devote all the charitable money for a particular month to the charity I am most passionate about at the moment.