Service clubs can't help crisis pregnancy centers?

[caroljm36]

I’m in a newly founded chapter of a service club, one of the big ones like Lions but not that one. I’m service chair and we’re looking for local projects and we don’t have much money yet.

I suggested buying stuff for the local crisis pregnancy center which operates on a shoestring. Okay, I know that supporting pregnant women is a volatile issue (??) and so I ran it by another Catholic in the group about a month ago. He made sounds like he thought it would be ok and finally I suggested it this week. Did not use the A word and just presented it as helping very low-income women in distress. The idea seemed well received and I was delighted, but then the Catholic member emailed us all the next day that this could be “divisive” and “not in the spirit” of the organization.

He may be fronting for the women in the group, I don’t know, but it still stung me. He said we should inquire as to specific religious affiliation (he knows good and well there’s a Catholic connection albeit loose) yet seems to be okay with helping a rescue mission run by evangelicals. I’m okay with that too, but I happen to know that people have to listen to a sermon to get fed there (they complain at the Catholic soup kitchen where I volunteer) so what will my fellow members think about THAT?

I was pretty upset. If the club is that bland and cowardly I’m not sure I want to be part of it. Just for the record, I had communicated the idea with a regional expert with tons of experience with the clubs and he didn’t see a problem with helping a prolife group.

Am I wrong to be disappointed?

 

[1ke]

caroljm36:

I’m in a newly founded chapter of a service club, one of the big ones like Lions but not that one. I’m service chair and we’re looking for local projects and we don’t have much money yet.

I suggested buying stuff for the local crisis pregnancy center which operates on a shoestring. Okay, I know that supporting pregnant women is a volatile issue (??) and so I ran it by another Catholic in the group about a month ago. He made sounds like he thought it would be ok and finally I suggested it this week. Did not use the A word and just presented it as helping very low-income women in distress. The idea seemed well received and I was delighted, but then the Catholic member emailed us all the next day that this could be “divisive” and “not in the spirit” of the organization.

He may be fronting for the women in the group, I don’t know, but it still stung me. He said we should inquire as to specific religious affiliation (he knows good and well there’s a Catholic connection albeit loose) yet seems to be okay with helping a rescue mission run by evangelicals. I’m okay with that too, but I happen to know that people have to listen to a sermon to get fed there (they complain at the Catholic soup kitchen where I volunteer) so what will my fellow members think about THAT?

I was pretty upset. If the club is that bland and cowardly I’m not sure I want to be part of it. Just for the record, I had communicated the idea with a regional expert with tons of experience with the clubs and he didn’t see a problem with helping a prolife group.

Am I wrong to be disappointed?

Moral of the story-- join a CATHOLIC service organization or start one.

 

[Detroit_Sue]

My husband and I were Kiwanis until he entered diaconate formation. They’re pretty generous to our local CPC. I don’t think it’s a by-law - you just might have some ignorant (for lack of a better term) board members. You might want to contact your Lieutenant Governor.

 

[gardenswithkids]

caroljm36:

I suggested buying stuff for the local crisis pregnancy center which operates on a shoestring. Okay, I know that supporting pregnant women is a volatile issue (??) and so I ran it by another Catholic in the group about a month ago. He made sounds like he thought it would be ok and finally I suggested it this week. Did not use the A word and just presented it as helping very low-income women in distress. The idea seemed well received and I was delighted, but then the Catholic member emailed us all the next day that this could be “divisive” and “not in the spirit” of the organization. …
Am I wrong to be disappointed?

Why would it be divisive to help poor women in crisis pregnancies? If women are truly going to have a choice, then they need options besides abortion so they actually have a choice. I think you should pursue this further with your group and perhaps take it to a vote instead of allowing one person to prevent impoverished women from having an alternatives to abortion.

 

[Traditional_Ang]

caroljm36:

I’m in a newly founded chapter of a service club, one of the big ones like Lions but not that one. I’m service chair and we’re looking for local projects and we don’t have much money yet.

I suggested buying stuff for the local crisis pregnancy center which operates on a shoestring. Okay, I know that supporting pregnant women is a volatile issue (??) and so I ran it by another Catholic in the group about a month ago. He made sounds like he thought it would be ok and finally I suggested it this week. Did not use the A word and just presented it as helping very low-income women in distress. The idea seemed well received and I was delighted, but then the Catholic member emailed us all the next day that this could be “divisive” and “not in the spirit” of the organization.

He may be fronting for the women in the group, I don’t know, but it still stung me. He said we should inquire as to specific religious affiliation (he knows good and well there’s a Catholic connection albeit loose) yet seems to be okay with helping a rescue mission run by evangelicals. I’m okay with that too, but I happen to know that people have to listen to a sermon to get fed there (they complain at the Catholic soup kitchen where I volunteer) so what will my fellow members think about THAT?

I was pretty upset. If the club is that bland and cowardly I’m not sure I want to be part of it. Just for the record, I had communicated the idea with a regional expert with tons of experience with the clubs and he didn’t see a problem with helping a prolife group.

Am I wrong to be disappointed?

Carol:

Those who are Pro-Abortion and those supporting the Culture of Death don’t seem to worry about anything they do and say being divisive or even downright rude.

A lot of “Catholics” are afraid of confronting the evil of
abortion and afraid of upsetting “old friends”. This is esp. true when the “Catholics” in question don’t go to Mass regularly and don’t follow the Teachings of the Church. In these cases, you will find yourself dealing with people who have so accommodated themselves to the world that they are practically of it.

You see, Carol, we are supposed to be “In the world but not of it”, otherwise we won’t have the courage to speak up when it really matters. I think that what’s happened with the “Catholic” you spoke to. He’s spent so much time accommodating evils such as Abortion that opposing them would “be divisive”. If he spent more time listening to our Lord, and less time worrying about what those who hate us think about us, maybe he might realize that Jesus said He “came into the world to spread, not peace, but division”. (Luke 12:51)

I think you have every right to be upset. I’d be even more upset If I believed the “Catholic” you talked to was a faithful Catholic.

This might be one of those times that you get to show people that there are things that are mor important than “getting along” and “Avoiding division”.

Good luck and may God go with you.

In Christ, Michael