The Administration for Children and Families at the Department of Health and Human Services announced a large number of grants to organizations that help support poor and vulnerable families and especially focus on responsible fatherhood, a cause that has been near and dear to President Obama's agenda. Among the recipients, three jumped out: Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Trenton received $555,330; Wichita Catholic Charities received $1.4 million and the Archdiocese of Hartford, Connecticut's Catholic Charities received $800,000. Maybe all those anti-Catholics in the Obama Administration we keep hearing about were asleep at the wheel on this, but I think, as in all things, the story is more complex: The Administration is willing to work with the Catholic Church, and the Catholic Church needs to work with the Administration, on areas of mutual concern. Now, if only we can get the Administration to live up to its commitment to liberalism and provide adequate conscience exemptions....
Of course, Archbishop Mansell, Bishop Jackel and Bishop O'Connell better watch out. The Reform CCHD attack organization might try and deploy its McCarthyite tactics against them now that they are doing business with HHS.