The Knights of Columbus' money

For all you unfamiliar with this Catholic organization, let me introduce the Knights of Columbus. From their website, you can see parts of their mission statement put thus:

The Knights was formed to render financial aid to members and their families. Mutual aid and assistance are offered to sick, disabled and needy members and their families. Social and intellectual fellowship is promoted among members and their families through educational, charitable, religious, social welfare, war relief and public relief works.

In general, their reputation as a charitable organization which helps people in need is well-regarded, at least in the eyes of the Catholics I grew up with and around. And yet, their headquarters in Connecticut is reported to have contributed over $1.2 MILLION to Yes-On-8. Depending on how you define contributers (for instance, the Mormon church can't lay claim to individual parishoner's donations which were estimated to have totaled $6.4 mill by Sept 24th), this makes the Knights' donation currently the single largest contribution of Prop 8's life. So Catholics, if you've donated to the Knights in the past, or if your collection at mass sometimes gets contributes to this group, please hold them accountable for what they have chosen to do with your money.

To see statements made by reps of the Knights about $1mill of their donation, go here.

"Preserving marriage as the indispensable institution in which children are conceived, born and raised to adulthood by a loving father and mother is vital to a healthy society."
-Knights spokesperson Patrick Korten

Sources: Washblade Sept 19th lists $1.25 mill; Washblade Sept 24th "nearly $1.3mill"; Washblade Oct 7th $1.2 mill; on October 9th, Hartford Courant explained that $.25 million was donated in February, while the other $1 million came in August.

What kind of misplaced priorities are these? There are a lot of people that could be fed, clothed, and vaccinated with 1.2 MILLION DOLLARS.

Catholics, please. You can do better than to have your money irresponsibly involved in secular matters. The Catholic church and other religious institutions are entitled to continue to define their sacrament however they like, preserving the separation of church and state. Please hold your leaders accountable and contact the Knights here.