One of the challenges of blogging is that one must blog. Sigh. As always, it was a parishioner (Laura Strom) who suggested that we had a really important topic to share with the parish, and I realized at once she was spot on.

What brings it to mind is the unbelievable tragedy in Haiti. Right away, we were moved to do what little we could - to send a donation to help the people. I contacted our Parish Council, with a suggestion that we utilize Catholic Relief Services (we have used them before to channel donations, and other organizations as well). But a couple of Council members thought this one through, better than I.

None of us doubt the magnificent work of Catholic Relief Services. The CRS record over six decades is a hallmark of compassion and efficiency - most of every dollar given actually reaches the people in need. And yet, we reflected, the Roman Catholic Church itself, through its hierarchical structures, continues paradoxically to be an instrument of pain and injustice for many even as its agencies like CRS and Catholic Charities do the work Christ surely intended. How do we reconcile the Church's exclusion of women from its full life and participation? How do we justify its medieval ordinances such as celibacy for the ordained, or its insistence on theological curiosities like the doctrine of papal infallibility, the existence of purgatory, the doubt regarding entrance into heaven by unbaptized infants, and so on? This is the Church that compels divorced people to undergo an incredibly harsh, intrusive annulment process before one can be married again in the church.

We all know the litany, and perhaps I needn't recite it here, but it seems important to give context to our Council's discernment of how best to donate assistance to earthquake victims. Here is the crux of the matter: Does our contribution, if channeled to CRS, amount to a sort of "cooperation" with the RC Church which we needn't, and perhaps shouldn't so readily make? It's a fair question. If there were no other very able relief agencies, we'd have no hesitation in using CRS. But again, the paradox of funneling money for justice' sake via an unjust Church seems incoherent to us.

In the end, we have chosen to utilize other agencies, which will include: Lutheran World Relief, Doctors Without Borders, The Salvation Army, the American Red Cross, Church World Service, World Vision and Rotary International. These are all organizations with strong, effective relief records.

We will be taking a special collection this Sunday, January 17th, which will be added to what we've already sent to the people of Haiti. And our prayers will continue in the months ahead.

Your thoughts on the Council's discernment and decision will be mightily appreciated, and you can post them right here. Please do!