National Catholic Reporter Columnist's Hit Piece on Knights of Columbus ( A Response )

It really takes a lot to get me mad but this piece by Nicole Sotelo at the National Catholic Reporter has me livid. See Some Knights of Columbus donations are a little bit questionable .

From her bio is the author of Women Healing from Abuse: Meditations for Finding Peace, published by Paulist Press, and coordinates http://www.womenhealing.com/. A graduate of Harvard Divinity School, she currently works at Call To Action.

Where to start. I realize that most at the National Catholic Reporter may not think about the concept of Subsidiarity very much ,but not every bit of money the Knights raise is sent to the big ole National Organization. A good bit is spent locally.

Further the article is a hit piece because it's misleading. It portrays the Knights just spending money on "Questionable Political activities " Thus in the main article the Knights are portrayed as misers that contributed $5,000 to disaster relief in Indiana and $3,000 to the community soup kitchen in New Haven, Conn. A small amount compared to the supposed "questionable" expenditures of funds elsewhere.

Thankfully she at least links the Financial reports ( but its likely a vast majority will not hit those links) From the 2011 report alone we see:

Global Wheelchair Mission, Camarillo, Calif. $ 250,000
Disaster Relief — Haiti, earthquake $1,233,055
National Catholic Office for the Deaf $30,000
Knights of Columbus Food for Families Program $1,000,267
National Catholic Partnership on Disability $100,000
United Way — Corporate gift $140,000
Coats for Kids Program $243,625
Rome Youth Centers (Italian Welfare Fund) 1,711,935

There is more go look at it.

Now to the meat of her report. She seems upset because basically the Knights are pretty "Orthodox" I mean look at this silly line

Additionally, in 2009 and 2010, Knights officials contributed $200,000 as noted in annual reports to Vox Clara, the bishops' committee responsible for turning back the clock on the liturgy and implementing the recent controversial language changes in the Mass. They have been a significant funder of the committee since 2006.

Wow just wow. Knight thinking about Liturgy and supporting their Bishops. HORRIFIC

She also does not like the controversial "Beckett Fund" and all those Lawyers. The Beckett Fund is a huge player in making sure Religious Civil Liberty is protected. That is for Christians and non Christians. It might shock the writer but they have been active in fighting overboard anti Sharia laws and fighting for Muslims against local communities who protest Mosque building. But no doubt she thinks these are just some wacko far Righters. The Knights funding groups that protect even non Christians rights of religion How shocking and radical.

In the end as you can read her main gripe is they support the Bishops on their marriage fight. For that they get bashed. Sad Sad piece