Head of Catholic organization mentioned in Podesta email denies creating Church division

Jardine Malado Thursday, October 20, 2016

White House senior counselor John Podesta (R) speaks to reporters in the White House briefing room in Washington May 5, 2014. | REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

The director of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good (CACG) admitted that some progressives have attempted to divide the Catholic Church but denied that the organization was created for that purpose.

Christopher Hale, who served as the executive director of CACG since 2013, said there had been some discussions in the progressive community about creating divisions in the Church for political gain but he believes that such conversations have been reduced significantly.

"I would argue that it's immoral to try to create divisions in the Church to try and achieve a political end. I think it's immoral and it's impractical," Hale told the Catholic Herald.

CACG was mentioned in a leaked email from Clinton campaign chief John Podesta. In the exchange, Voices for Progress President Sandy Newman complained about the Catholic bishops' opposition to contraceptive coverage and said that there should be a "Catholic Spring" in which Catholics could demand changes in the Church's policies.

"We created Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good to organize for a moment like this. But I think it lacks the leadership to do so now," Podesta wrote in response.

Hale said that he was unaware of the conversation between Podesta and Newman. He claimed that the original leaders of CACG did not try to carry out the objectives that were mentioned in the email.

"I can say unequivocally that since I've been here in 2013, that there is no attempt whatsoever to promote a 'Catholic Spring' or a revolution in the Church," he said.

Hale insisted that the sole aim of the organization is "to promote the social teaching of the Church" and not to reform it.

He pointed out that he had spoken against Planned Parenthood's use of human organs and that CACG opposed the Obama administration's mandate to force Catholic institutions to pay for contraception.

"We challenge the Democrat Party time and time again," he said.

Hale maintained that the CACG fully agrees with the teachings of the Church and added that it does not always agree with what its members have written.