Amid the constant calls from the Catholic Right to disband the USCCB, I wonder how this funding request from Rome will fly in those circles. I expect most bishops will be good soldiers and pass the request on to the laity, who will, in turn, pony up the cash.
Cardinal Rode’s cup rattle begs the question: Now that this visitation is well underway, why is the Vatican’s Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life asking for cash now? Is $1.1M the whole budget, or have other (seemingly insufficient) donations been socked away already?
Catholic Sensibility 
Why does this latest news remind me of states that require rape victims to pay for the evidence kits?
I can just hear the conversation now:
“Trust us; we are doing this for your own good. Yes, Reverend Cardinal — the check is in the mail.”
Only fools (and Catholics) fund their own persecution.
I’ll pony up. This is one of the best uses for my donations that I can think of.
I suggest a second collection, and that the laity contribute what is appropriate. For me, that might be a letter describing the wonderful formative catechetical influence of the Dominican Sisters on me in the 10 years after Vatican II, the formative musical influence of a Sister of St Joseph on me in my college schola (she taught us chant and shape-note idioms), and the spiritual influence of a variety of sisters since. I don’t think I’d offer any money, though….