CRS Employees Recount Involvement in Family Planning: 'It's Only the 'Big Catholics' Who Are Opposed to Contraception'
Contact: Anne Roback Morse, Population Research Institute (PRI), 540-660-2733
FRONT ROYAL, Va., July 29, 2013 /
Christian Newswire/ -- In our month-long, on-the-ground investigation of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) activities in Madagascar, Population Research Institute (PRI) found that the organization was directly involved in the promotion and distribution of contraceptive and abortifacient drugs and devices in contravention of Church teaching.
Said Steven Mosher, President of PRI, "CRS employees in Madagascar told us that they do 'the same work' in family planning that CARE and other USAID-funded groups do. CRS claims to be 'puzzled' by our report, but all they have to do is talk to their own grassroots employees to find out the truth."
PRI asked CRS employees specifically if selling modern contraceptives and educating women in their use was a problem, and they said no.
PRI asked CRS employees if there was any difference between their work in the villages and that of, say, CARE, and they said no.
PRI asked CRS employees if, as Catholics and employees of CRS, they knew that the Church doesn't approve of artificial contraception. They replied, "It's only the 'Big Catholics' who are against artificial contraception." (
See our report here)
Mosher added, "It is not just the 'Big Catholics'--the Pope and the bishops--who are opposed to contraception and abortion. The people in the pews are as well. And they want their donations to go to organizations that are authentically Catholic, not to one whose employees mock the teaching of their Church."
