By Julie A. Miller
Catholic Herald
Church-state partnership initiative gets good reviews
SUPERIOR -- An expanded role for partnerships between the federal government and faith-based organizations, such as Catholic Charities, may be on the horizon. One of George W. Bush's first acts as president was to establish the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives to help these organizations provide federally funded social services. The office will be directed by Democrat John DiIulio, a professor of public policy at the University of Pennsylvania public policy.John Huebscher, executive director of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference said that overall it is a positive step. "It can sensitize people to the fact that working with faith-based organizations is not unconstitutional ... I think we have to realize that performing works of charity is not establishing a religion."
Some people fear that the government has a hidden agenda to control the message of religious groups, but Huebscher said, "I think the people who support (partnerships) are interested in solving problems and not co-opting religion."
Catholic Charities Bureau in the Diocese of Superior has a long history of partnerships with government. "For over 30 years we have enjoyed an amicable working relationship with all three levels of government in human services programs for people who are indigent," said Brian K. Soland, CCB executive director. "We have the ability to provide these services effectively and efficiently."
Soland explained that the funding is normally provided by way of a purchase of service contract. Rather than provide services directly, government agencies pay nonprofit agencies to do it for them.
Soland expects to see an expansion of the partnerships to include some new services previously provided directly by the government. "I think he (Bush) agrees with the kind of values that are intact in faith-based nonprofits."
As part of the Catholic value system, Soland said, "People are always treated with respect and dignity. They are never shouted at to get to the back of the line. ... We have a code of ethics that goes beyond what government entities might have and it even applies if people have no religious affiliation." He added that Catholic Charities provides services consistent with Catholic social teaching without proselytizing.
Some nonprofit agencies choose not to participate in government programs because of rules and red-tape. Soland doesn't see it that way. "I'm not aware of many financial sources that don't have requirements and regulatory restrictions in the contract. Even with the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, we have many requirements. They are not particularly burdensome. They are good stewardship," he said.
Bush is also proposing an expansion of tax incentives to encourage donations to charity. In this regard Soland has one fear. "It bears watching closely that the government not try in the future to shift its financial obligations to its citizens onto the church in favor of giving tax relief to people who have the capacity to support themselves," he said.
Private organizations can do works of charity, but cannot be expected to shoulder the burden for solving all of society's problems, said Huebscher. "You can provide a family in rural Douglas County with a car battery so they can get to work. That's charity. Justice would mean a job that pays them enough to afford it themselves."
Beth Carlson is the director of housing and health services for Catholic Charities Bureau in Superior. The federal government is the main funding source for the programs she oversees.
Carlson doesn't foresee any major changes under Bush's proposal. She said in her programs there aren't any church-state barriers under the present system. "We serve people without regard to their religious affiliation," she said.
Service providers, whether they are for-profit companies, faith-based organizations or a county agency, all go through the same application process to qualify for federal money, she said.
© Superior Catholic Herald, 2001