Fundamental split : St. Joseph’s Catholic Church cuts ties to Komen for the Cure as part of diocese’s policy
Posted on Tuesday, February 26, 2008
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Tontitown will not be hosting its annual spaghetti and fried chicken dinner on April 18, the night before the Komen Ozark Race for the Cure in Springdale, per the request of the Catholic Church of Arkansas.
The Respect Life Apostolate of the Diocese of Little Rock issued a statement on Feb. 4 discouraging its parishes and schools from supporting or participating in any activities that benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
Respect Life Director Marianne Linane said the diocese has adopted the policy for the organization for three reasons, the primary reason being that some Komen affiliates have given money to Planned Parenthood. While no affiliates in Arkansas have provided funding to the organization, she said, 25 percent of the money raised in Arkansas goes out of state and could potentially find its way to affiliates that do give to Planned Parenthood.
The second reason is that Komen endorses embryonic stem cell research on its Web site, Linane said.
Whether any money has found its way into grants is not certain, but the organization does endorse it, she said.
She said the final reason is that Komen denies the link between breast cancer and abortion.
“ There is mounting evidence for that link, and the scientific community is coming to recognize the link, ” she said. “ But Komen refuses to acknowledge it. ”
Linane said the church is acting on the urges of several parishioners who are concerned about the church’s involvement in Komen’s fundraising activities. A lot of parishes have had relationships with Komen, she said, as have some local hospitals because they have received grants from the organization.
Letters have been sent to all of the parishes asking for them to end their associations with the organization, Linane said.
St. Joseph’s notified the Ozark affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure on Thursday that the parish would not be able to host the spaghetti dinner, parish Administrator Shannon Stowe said.
Jenna Johnston, president of the board of directors for the Ozark affiliate, said the board is extremely disappointed that St. Joseph’s won’t be hosting the traditional pasta party this year and said the news took her by surprise.
“ They’ve been a good partner to us for nine years, ” she said.
The affiliate will find another venue for the party, she said.
“ The pasta party will go on; the race will go on. We’ll continue to do everything we can, ” she said.
With a $ 25 ticket price, the pasta party serves as a fundraiser for the Ozark affiliate.
Johnston said she thinks the claims made in the statement from Respect Life are unsubstantiated.
The group has manipulated statistics and assumed that a decrease in clinical breast exams at Planned Parenthood must mean that the donations from Komen are going toward abortion services, she said.
Respect Life states that, according to Planned Parenthood’s 2004-2005 annual report, 9, 000 more abortions were performed and 26, 000 fewer breast exams were provided in 2004 than in 2003.
When Komen gives a grant to any facility, Johnston said, it is carefully monitored. Officials make sure that money donated for specific services is spent on those services, she said.
As for the link between breast cancer and abortions, Johnston said research showing a link between the two has been negated.
According to Komen’s national Web site, the National Cancer Institute’s Board of Scientific Advisors and Board of Scientific Counselors unanimously agreed in March 2003 that epidemiological evidence does not support any association between abortion and breast cancer.
Later that same year, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists also concluded that there was no evidence to support a link.
Johnston said she hopes the statement from the Catholic church won’t have an impact on the turnout for the Race for the Cure on April 19.
It could, however, affect some of the grants in the 2008 grant cycle. Some grants help fund breast cancer services at Catholic clinics and hospitals, Johnston said.
“ I’m not aware of who this year’s grantees are, but I imagine we’ll have to look at those, ” she said.
In 2007, the St. Edward Mercy Foundation in Fort Smith was given $ 62, 900 for screening, education and treatment services.
In its statement, Respect Life encourages members of the Diocese of Little Rock to donate directly to local hospitals that provide breast cancer services.
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