Ark. Catholics Asked To Stop Donations To Komen Foundation

LITTLE ROCK (AP) – Catholics throughout Arkansas have been asked to stop giving money to a nationally known breast cancer charity over concerns some donations could go to Planned Parenthood.

Monsignor J. Gaston Herbert sent a letter to parishes and Catholic schools this month about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a Dallas-based foundation.

Herbert’s letter said many of the foundation’s state affiliates contribute some of the money they raise to Planned Parenthood. The letter also said the foundation supports embryonic stem-cell research and refuses to acknowledge that there is a link between abortions and breast cancer.

Herbert did not immediately return a call for comment Tuesday. Marianne Linane, diocesan respect life director, said 25 percent of the money raised annually in the foundation’s Race for the Cure in Little Rock, which occurs every October, goes to the national organization.

That money then could end up in grants given to Planned Parenthood. “There is a tie there,” Linane said. Linane said several dioceses across the country have adopted similar policies in recent years.

The Little Rock Diocese has authority over all Catholic churches in Arkansas. Sherrye McBryde, executive director of Komen for the Cure in Arkansas, said the group’s Ozark affiliate has given about $350,000 to Catholic hospitals in northwest Arkansas.

She said the Little Rock-based affiliate has given $1.4 million to Catholic hospitals since its first Race for the Cure event in 1992. “Of course, we are incredibly saddened by this,” McBryde said. “We have a long history of working with Catholic organizations for our cause.”

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)