[Hat-tip to Culture War Notes]
John Carr [USCCB Official with Shady Connections] Leaving USCCB
by Michael Sean Winters on Jun. 07, 2012
ncronline.org/blogs/distinctly-catholic/breaking-news-john-carr-leaving-usccb
NCR has learned that John Carr, the executive director of the USCCB’s Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development will be leaving his job after more than twenty years. Carr’s resignation letter gave two reasons for leaving:
“First, I have been offered a Fellowship this fall at the Kennedy School at Harvard University, focusing on the important links between faith and public life. Second, I want to focus my remaining energies on efforts to help form, support and encourage Catholic lay men and women to be more effective leaders in bringing Catholic principles to public life and all of society. This has long been a priority for me and now is the right time to act on my conviction that new efforts are needed to help Catholic laity act on Catholic principles on human life and dignity, economic and social justice, religious freedom and solidarity, care for creation and peace.”
Carr first joined the bishops’ conference staff in 1987. Previously he had worked in a variety of posts addressing social justice issues, including serving as Secretary for Social Concerns for the Archdiocese of Washington where he was Cardinal James Hickey’s principal adviser. He also coordinated the White House Conference on Families in the late 1970s. A native of Minnesota, Carr is an alumnus of the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.
In his letter, Carr sounded enthusiastic about his future projects:
“Beyond the fall, I believe there is an urgent need for more effective efforts to share the breathe and substance of Catholic Social Teaching. With so much confusion and conflict over religion in public affairs, we need new efforts and vehicles to call Catholic lay men and women to principled public engagement and to advance a faithful and positive vision of Catholic participation in the public square.”
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[His "shady connections":]
Conference of Catholic Bishops Exec Chaired Pro-Abortion, LGBT Rights Group
Katie Walker
American Life League
www.christiannewswire.com/news/2674212913.html
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 /Christian Newswire/ — A national group that promotes abortion and homosexual rights has deep ties with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development, according to a report released Monday.
Top USCCB executive John Carr held simultaneous leadership roles, creating a conflict of interest, with the USCCB and the radical Center for Community Change.
“The closer we look at the Bishops’ Conference [staff and programs], the more we find a systemic pattern of cooperation with evil,” said Michael Hichborn, American Life League’s lead researcher into the USCCB scandal. “The CCC has lodged itself into the highest places of power in the USCCB while working to promote abortion and homosexuality.”
John Carr is the USCCB executive director of the Department of Justice Peace and Human Development which oversees the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). He has been employed by the USCCB since 1987.
John Carr’s relationship with the Center for Community Change goes back at least to 1983, serving in leadership roles from 1999 to 2006 – including as chairman of the board. The Reform CCHD Now report details the organization’s promotion of abortion, “reproductive rights” and homosexuality as among the CCC’s core advocacy focuses.
In 2001, while Carr served as both a USCCB exec and CCC leader, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference funneled $150,000 to the pro-abortion group. The USCCB web site currently promotes the group and officials have spoken at CCC events.
“Strangely, Carr’s leadership on the CCC’s board shows up on several bios he’s submitted for speaking engagements, but the word for word bio on the USCCB web site mysteriously omits that one detail,” Hichborn said. “Why?”
Revelations of John Carr’s involvement in the Center for Community Change come only months after members of the Reform CCHD Now coalition, including American Life League, uncovered 31 CCHD grantees partnered with the CCC.
“The CCHD claims it will immediately investigate accusations against organizations it funds yet it is silent on the CCC,” said Hichborn. “How can Carr and the USCCB possibly justify this intimate relationship with such an obvious enemy of the Church?”
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