The Catholic Defense League, CDL, is an organization of Catholic men and women who believe that we have an obligation to defend the Church from attacks on the Church’s doctrine by misrepresentation or deliberate falsehood or attacks on her ministers (priests and religious). To do that we are continually aware of these attacks which come in the form of newspaper editorials, cartoons, op-ed pieces or letters to the editor. They can come from other sources such as radio, TV or position papers or speeches from political candidates.
Regardless of the source we believe it is our responsibility to correct the misinformation or to object to the attack and attempt to get it corrected. In the course of doing that communications are made to the outside world. This policy is the position of the CDL board of directors on who is authorized to speak in the name of the organization and other related matters.
This policy covers any form of communication, newspaper, radio, etc. by a board member of CDL. It both authorizes and limits what a board member may do in the name of the organization! It does not address false representations by outside agents who might represent that they speak in the name of the CDL. The policy also does not address private actions of any board member in responding to an attack on the Church. (Note, however, that an action by a board member which is offensive or inappropriate and thereby reflects badly on the CDL may result in separate action not covered by this policy.)
? What about an individual making his/her reply adding that they are a member of the CDL board?
Communications from CDL may come in any of the following forms:
Any Board Member may respond to a specific attack on the Church or member of the clergy in the name of the Catholic Defense League in the following manner:
§ Formulate a proper response in written form.
§ Submit such response to CDL directors’ mailing list (i.e. CDL_direct) for input & approval from other board members. Copy by fax other board members who have requested to be notified and have the ability to receive faxes.
§ Two or more board members are needed for approval (i.e. one board member in addition to the originator)
§ Make final approved response available for publication on web site and to all subscribers.
§
The name of the organization is Catholic Defense
League (i.e. not “of
§ Whenever and wherever possible “Official Church Documents” should be referenced. For example the Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC, is available on the USCCB web site.
§
The CDL has imposed on itself a limit or
restriction of not “getting in the middle” of internal debate, i.e. within the
church, e.g. between a priest and the bishop or between a bishop and the
greater Church. Exceptions to this must
be by approval of the CDL Board of Directors.
The intended target for press releases is
§ All Catholic publications in our “area of influence”
§ Newspapers
§ Internet destinations (e.g. the CDL web site)
Appendix A contains a list of recommended recipients for Press Releases
A press release should contain the name of a contact person for follow up by the receiving organizations.
“The Board of Directors of the Catholic Defense League
hereby approves the Public Relations Policy, dated xx/xx/xxxx, version x.x”
Appendix A
Press Release Recipients
This list is suggested and not mandatory. There will almost certainly be additional recipients needed in specific cases or some of these below may not be appropriate for a specific case.
[1] “Members” has a specific meaning in the context of a tax exempt organization. The sense of its use here is partners or associates or friends and not those who somehow have become “members” of the CDL.