Father Daniel Mindling to Serve as Consulting Theologian for Catholic Campaign for Human Development

WASHINGTON (November 9, 2010) — Father Daniel Mindling, OFM Cap., has accepted an invitation from Bishop William Murphy and Bishop Roger Morin, the bishops who oversee the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), to serve as a consulting theologian for CCHD. Father Mindling is the academic dean and professor of moral theology at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He currently serves as a consultant to the Committee on Pro-life Activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the bishops’ Task Force on Catholic Health Care.

“This service connects greatly with my own interest in the life and justice issues facing the Church,” said Father Mindling of his new role with the bishops. “I look forward to working together in this most important ministry.” Father Mindling will provide ongoing consultation on the moral and ethical dimensions of CCHD’s work.

“All of us in leadership roles for CCHD know firsthand the importance of having a sound theological voice as an integral part of the work of CCHD,” said Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, New York, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. “Father Mindling’s readiness to offer theological advice and counsel is very important for this outreach of helping the poor and the vulnerable in our Church and in our local communities. This is an important step to deepen the Catholic identity of the work of CCHD without our losing the vision that originally inspired the bishops to create this essential and unique expression of Catholic commitment to those who are poor.”

Bishop Morin, Chairman of the Bishops’ CCHD Subcommittee thanked Father Mindling for his “affirmative response to our request for your assistance with Review and Renewal of CCHD. This represents one of many important steps to carry out the recommendations of the CCHD report.”

Recommended by Cardinal-designate Donald Wuerl, chairman of the USCCB Doctrine Committee, Father Mindling served as an advisor to the work group that prepared the Report on the Review and Renewal of CCHD. This report, in the words of Bishop Morin, “reaffirms CCHD’s Catholic foundations and priority for the poor, responds to concerns about CCHD funding policies and makes 10 commitments to strengthen CCHD as a faithful and effective expression of Catholic teaching and the Gospel.”

The CCHD Review and Renewal called for the assistance of a moral theologian to assist CCHD on an ongoing basis to help assess and address the moral and ethical dimensions of CCHD’s work, especially the appropriate application of traditional moral principles of cooperation and collaboration. This role involves ongoing consultation with CCHD leadership and assistance to the Bishops’ CCHD Subcommittee in providing assessment and analysis, advice and guidance on how best to fulfill CCHD’s mission with clear fidelity to Catholic moral principles and Catholic teaching.
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Keywords: Catholic Campaign for Human Development, Father Daniel Mindling, OFM Cap., moral theologian