Several Catholic dioceses are joining together to discourage their members from supporting the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, a charity that fights breast cancer, the Associated Press reports.

The groups, which include dioceses in Charleston, Little Rock, and Phoenix, have taken issue with the foundation’s support for the organization Planned Parenthood. The Komen charity provides Planned Parenthood with money to finance breast exams and to offer education to women in its clinics.

A diocese statement, however, says that donors “cannot control how an organization designates its funds” and that such support “directly frees up funds to support other areas of an organization’s agenda.” Marianne Linane, director of the diocese’s “respect life” office, said those other agendas include abortions and contraceptive services, which the church opposes.

Rebecca Gibson, a spokeswoman for the Komen foundation, said that Planned Parenthood received less than 1 percent of the $69.6-million the foundation awarded for education and screening programs during 2007.

“I think it’s just really unfortunate undue attention is being shed on organizations that are providing vital services in those communities,” Ms. Gibson said.