Lifesite is a profoundly conservative group, and is opposed to pretty well everything that D&P does. This mirrors deep divisions among Catholics, between reactionaries and progressives — between Lifesite and the kind of people who generally support D&P.

Lifesite claims that D&P is supporting groups in Mexico who in turn promote abortion. If you are a Catholic organization, and D&P is, this is a serious allegation.

The Catholic bishops do not control D&P but do have two bishops on the board. The CCCB has investigated and says that Lifesite’s allegations are not true.

Why do I think the story is important for people other than Catholics? It is because Lifesite is demanding that D&P have nothing to do with any group that would ever countenance either abortions or contraception. If D&P were to abandon all relationships with organizations who do not fully agree with the Catholic church’s line on these and other issues, D&P’s effectiveness as a development organization would be severely curtailed at a time when the world’s poor and vulnerable need solidary more than ever. What is at stake is D&P’s ability to go forward as a partner in development. Lifesite would like to see D&P closed down.

Hope this helps you to understand what has been a very nasty episode.

Are you saying that you agree with the evidence from LifeSite to the effect that D-P is funding pro-abortion and pro-contraception groups in developing countries?
How is that possible if the Catholic bishops are running D-P? Sounds unreal.
Do you have any personal contacts or intelligence that can corroborate LifeSite’s claims?

If this is true, why is it a problem? I thought this blog was supportive of abortion and contraception? Wouldn’t D-P be an ally in this respect?

Thanks.