Cafod director appointment provokes controversy

Cafod, the international development charity, has appointed Christine Allen, former director of Progressio, as its new head.

Ms Allen, currently director of policy and public affairs at Christian Aid, will replace Chris Bain in the spring. Mr Bain has delayed his retirement until then, although a Mass of thanksgiving to mark his retirement is planned for 5 December at St George’s Cathedral, Westminster.

The appointment follows a lengthy recruitment process. While Mr Bain’s resignation was announced in May, a spokesman for Cafod told The Tablet in mid October that it still had “no timescale” for the appointment.

At Christian Aid, where she has been since 2012, Ms Allen lobbied political and private sector leaders on issues such as taxation and climate, held leadership roles on global and UK bodies, and has been involved in supporting trusts, foundations and donor initiatives.  

Before that she was Progressio’s executive director for 11 years and prior to that was head of public affairs at the National Housing Federation. Her career began as a field worker with the Justice and Peace Commission in the Archdiocese of Liverpool, and she also had a period working as Cafod’s campaigns coordinator.

Ms Allen said that the appointment “feels like coming home”. “I am immensely proud of Cafod, its work and its role in the global Catholic family,” she said.

As head of Progressio, Ms Allen oversaw the evolution of the charity’s stance on HIV prevention, which included condoning the use of condoms to tackle the HIV pandemic. “In certain circumstances,” the charity said in 2011, “the use of condoms is a life-saving option.”

The charity came under fire during her tenure for changing its name from the Catholic Institute for International Relations. John Smeaton, chief executive of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, complained that under Ms Allen, Progressio “has a simply appalling record”.

Responding to complaints about the appointment, Cafod’s board told the Catholic Herald: “Christine Allen has been asked her views as part of Cafod’s due diligence process and has satisfied the trustees that she will uphold Catholic teaching and values.”

The board subsequently wrote a letter of complaint to the newspaper, objecting that it had portrayed its comments as “defending” its choice.

Bishop John Arnold, Cafod’s chair of trustees, wrote: “Quite the opposite. Cafod’s trustees fully endorse Christine Allen’s appointment, which has been greeted with joy by Cafod staff and supporters.” Sarah Teather, head of the Jesuit Refugee Service, called the appointment “cracking news”.