YMCA Loses $60,000 Grant From Catholic Church After Refusing To Stop Working With LGBT Support Group [View all]

[SidDithers]

The YMCA at Illinois University at Urbana-Champaign is paying a hefty price for refusing to cut ties with a group that publicly supports gay marriage.

The Catholic Church gave the YMCA an ultimatum: stop working with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, or lose your $60,000 grant.

The YMCA’s director told WICD-15 that while they take no position on gay marriage, it is important for them to not allow anyone to influence who they work with.

The University Y board met several weeks ago and voted to remain in the coalition.

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/religion/christianity/catholicism/ymca-loses-60000-grant-catholic-church-after-refusing-stop#


Edit: Apparently they weren't the only ones. Chicago Tribune has more:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-10-19/news/ct-met-catholic-immigration-funding-20131019_1_catholic-campaign-gay-marriage-issue-immigrant-groups

Immigrant groups lose Catholic funding over gay marriage issue

When a statewide immigrant-rights coalition endorsed same-sex marriage this past spring, 11 groups were given a stark choice by a Roman Catholic anti-poverty program: Leave the coalition or lose their Catholic funding.

Eight of the groups decided to stick with the Illinois Coalition for Immigration and Refugee Rights. Another group broke with both. All told, the nine groups gave up grants totaling nearly $300,000 from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. This week, some began scaling back projects that address domestic violence, affordable housing and immigration rights.



The decision marks a rift between secular and Catholic leaders who had long been aligned in the push for immigrant rights in the United States. Church leaders say that chasm has been widened by a national movement to link gay rights and immigration reform.

"We don't have a formal stance on marriage equality," said Jenny Arwade, executive director of the Albany Park Neighborhood Council, which this week reduced the size of an after-school program that taught bicycle mechanics to neighborhood teens. "Our organizational values are that we believe in equal rights for all people. We were disappointed in the decision. We also believe it's the church's decision to do what they want to do."

This year, the Catholic anti-poverty group awarded more than 40 grants to groups around the state that work to empower the poor. Each recipient signed a contract, agreeing to uphold church teachings in all they do. That rule also applies to the alliances to which they belong, the archdiocese says.

Apparently, grants from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development come with significant strings attached.

Sid