The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland has given a $30,000 grant to an Ohio grass-roots organization with ties to a national abortion-rights group.
According to information posted on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development's website, the Cleveland Diocese made the gift to a group called "Grass-Roots Leadership Development Program / Organize! Ohio."
That group, according to Catholic World News, was in turn affiliated with the National Abortion Rights Action League.
The Cleveland Diocese also made a $30,000 donation to the same group last year, prompting protests from local Catholics. Despite those protests, however, the Diocese repeated its donation again this year, according to the June 22 issue of the Cleveland Catholic Universe Bulletin, a Diocese publication.
"Organize! Ohio's … list of member organizations last year included the National Abortion Rights Action League of Ohio (NARAL). [Organize! Ohio's] website described NARAL as 'the political arm of the pro-choice movement in Ohio,'" Catholic World News said.
NARAL does not appear on Organize! Ohio's list of members this year. A spokesperson, Kate Pilacky, said that the NARAL name was dropped for "administrative reasons" and not because of "any controversy going on with right-wing groups," according to Catholic World News.
Organize! Ohio's mission, says information posted on the group's website, is "to build a system of support for community organizing by providing training, increasing communication, and advocating for resources to strengthen local organizing efforts around the state."
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