The Folly
Folly is a rich word in the English language. It can refer to anything from imprudent notions to “criminally foolish” behavior to unprofitable ventures. It can also describe an extravagant building project, something theoretically nice to have, but so very costly and largely useless that it is often a mistake.
Are we creating our own folly?
On October 27, we reached out to diocesan CFO Mr. Matt McKillip to request information about the financials surrounding the purchase, renovation and upkeep of the St. Joseph Retreat Center in Tipton, IN.
We did so without any realistic expectation of a reply. However, the topic of the Tipton project and its financial impact on the diocese is the single most frequently asked question in our inbox. We thought we should offer the diocese the opportunity to make a statement.
Unsurprisingly there has not been a response. That should not, however, stop those of you asking these questions from continuing to do so. Here are ten queries that are in our opinion, worth pursuing, and which were included in our correspondence to Mr. McKillip:
Dear Mr. McKillip,
I’m writing as an editor for our website, The Red Wolf Report, which discusses issues of concern to local Catholics.
We have received numerous questions from readers regarding their concerns about diocesan finances related to the funding of the St. Joseph Retreat Center.
We would like to reach out directly and offer the diocese the opportunity to give input to some of these prior to our posting any opinion on the topic.
With thanks for your time and consideration in setting the record straight & etc.
_____________________________________________________________________
1. What has been the total expenditure to date to purchase, renovate and maintain the property?
2. How has the project been funded, within the context of the diocesan budget? Have monies been allocated from other funds (for instance, the Lay Employees’ Retirement Fund) to cover the Tipton project?
3. Have parishes been required to increase their contributions to certain diocesan funds (for instance, the Lay Employees’ Retirement Fund) as a result of this?
4. What are the monthly costs to maintain the property vs. the revenue it generates?
5. What are the total losses to date in operational costs of this facility?
6. We received some reports that the diocese was granted a $2 million line of credit from a bank for additional expenditure on this project. Can you confirm/deny the veracity of this? Has the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana borrowed money / incurred debt for the purchase and maintenance of the property? If so, in what amount & under what terms?
7. What further projected costs are expected in order to complete the project, and how will these be funded?
8. What is the decision making process for approving past and ongoing expenditures on this project? Which groups/individuals must review and consent to expenditures?
9. Will parishes be asked to hold paid events at St. Joseph Retreat Center (such as the ongoing parish leadership team training events required under UiH) ?
10. At what value does the property currently appraise / what would be a reasonable estimate of its market value?
These and other questions are worthy of an answer, since a substantial chunk of the funds solicited from the Faithful must be underwriting the project. How else could it continue being funded and maintained? We’re asked to be generous (and the larger donors schmoozed with gifts and goodies) but how much of the funds contributed disappear into a seemingly bottomless pit?
Our understanding is that the property appraises at less than $2 million (this is unverified, but one can comb through the numbers available on public record here). Yet reportedly something in the neighborhood of $9 million has been sunk into it.
(To put that number in perspective, the amount donated to the Fruitful Harvest campaign between 2016 and 2018 was $8,572,880.)
Stewardship of funds seems a little shaky to say the least. Even without the discovery of asbestos after purchasing the property (leading to huge expenses for remediation) and the unforeseeable impact of COVID rules and shutdowns, one wonders if this could have ever been a sustainable project. Monetary losses incurred from the cost of running the facility in a recent calendar year were reportedly around the $700,000 mark, with the diocese noting a $5,029,147 loss on the facility in its financial accountability report for 2018 in The Catholic Moment, “to reflect the market value of the center.” If one digs deeper into the full accountability report for that year, we find that this adjustment really means that the amount the diocese paid for the property, combined with the costs of renovating it, was considerably in excess of its actual market value.
This same report notes that the 61 parishes of the diocese, taken as whole, had revenue in excess of their expenses. This may not mean that every single parish was keeping its head above water equally well since this was a conglomerate number, but overall, parish income across the diocese exceeded parish expenses. The major financial losses we sustained were at the diocesan level.
It is worth asking, too, whether the diocese itself follows the fundraising and spending rules that it sets on its parishes. For example, parishes that wish to run a dovetail campaign to fundraise for their own projects (renovations for example), a capital campaign or a pulpit appeal must adhere to strict policy guidelines, which were updated in October of this year:
Capital Campaign Policy Statement
When the amount of money to be raised is larger than is appropriate for a pulpit appeal, special permission may be granted for a parish to undertake an independent capital fund raising campaign. Debt reduction campaigns and church restoration and renovation projects are good candidates for this sort of capital campaign.
Such campaigns may begin at any time, but only after obtaining all appropriate authorizations from the Bishop, the Diocesan Building Committee (DBC), and the Diocesan Finance Committee (DFC), and only with the understanding that the parish must also meet its obligations to the Catholic Ministries Appeal as scheduled.
The parish is to work with the Office of Stewardship & Development in identifying and securing appropriate third-party capital campaign consulting firms. No agreements are to be made with such a firm until after obtaining the appropriate authorizations mentioned above.
Capital Project:
Describe the reason for the capital campaign:
Estimated cost of the project the campaign will fund:
Capital Campaign Goal:
Capital Campaign start and end dates:
Names of Campaign Consultants under consideration:
Parish Readiness:
• Current results for Catholic Ministries Appeal as of:
1. Goal = ________________
2. Pledged = _____________ or _____%
3. Paid = ________________ or ____%
• How is this capital project aligned with the mission of the parish?
• How many months of unrestricted reserves are available as of the date of this agreement? ________ How many will there be at the end of the project? _________
• Will the parish take on additional debt to finance the project? Circle one: Yes or No If, so, how much debt?
• Which groups within the parish have been consulted and are in agreement with executing this Capital Campaign?
____ Parish Finance Council
____ Parish Pastoral Council
____ Parish Staff
____ Stewardship Committee
____ Parishioners
____ Dean / other Pastors in Deanery
____ Outside Consultant
____ Other: ____________________
• Has Diocesan Facilities (Andy Guljas) provided approval for the project?
I commit that:
• Representatives from the Parish Finance Council will present before the DFC so the DFC can make recommendations to the Bishop.
• No work will begin on the project until after obtaining authorization from the DBC on vendors, methods, timelines, materials, etc.
• All of the fundraising solicitations for this project are/will be accurate, truthful and free of undue influence or pressure.
• The parish will be transparent and put in their bulletin and online their parish finances, as well as project finances/status.
• The parish will honor all promises made regarding how and when gifts are used.
• All fundraising efforts for this project will meet the Catholic Standards for Excellence benchmark of at least 3:1 (meaning $3 net amount raised, to no more than $1 spent to raise that amount).
• This financial stewardship program will be operated within the context of the 3-Year Pastoral Plan.
• All donor information and donations will be captured in the Realm parish database, available to be shared with the Diocesan Office of Stewardship & Development.
Pastor submitting request – Signature and Date
Pulpit Appeal Agreement:
Name of Parish: ________________________________Location: _______________________
Name of Pastor: ________________________________Date: __________________________
Pulpit Appeal Policy Statement
A pulpit appeal is permissible to raise a substantial amount of money in a relatively short period of time. The focus might be the need for a boiler, repair of roof, the paving of a parking lot. A pulpit appeal is intended to be just that – an appeal from the pulpit.
Such an appeal might last a month, perhaps six weeks at the most, and might be augmented by a single mailing to all parishioners. BUT IN NO CASE WOULD A PULPIT APPEAL INVOLVE “PLEDGES” OR PAYMENTS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME (see Capital Campaign Agreement). A pastor may conduct a pulpit appeal at any time, but only after obtaining all appropriate authorizations from the Bishop and the Diocesan Building Committee (DBC), and only with the understanding that the parish must also meet its obligations to the Catholic Ministries Appeal as scheduled. A pastor would be well advised, however, to refrain from making such an appeal either just before or just after a Catholic Ministries Appeal.
Project:
Describe the project:
Estimated project cost:
Estimated project timeline:
Pulpit Appeal Goal:
Pulpit Appeal Campaign start and end dates:
Parish Readiness:
• Current results for Catholic Ministries Appeal as of:_____________________________
1. Goal = ________________
2. Pledged = _____________ or _____%
3. Paid = ________________ or ____%
• How is this project aligned with the mission of the parish?
• How many months of unrestricted reserves are available as of the date of this agreement? ________ How many will there be at the end of the project? _________
• Will the parish take on additional debt to finance the project? Circle one: Yes or No If, so, how much debt?
• Which groups within the parish have been consulted and are in agreement with executing this Pulpit Appeal?
____ Parish Finance Council
____ Parish Pastoral Council
____ Parish Staff
____ Stewardship Committee
____ Parishioners
____ Dean / other Pastors in Deanery
____ Outside Consultant
____ Other: ____________________
• Has Diocesan Facilities (Andy Guljas) provided approval for the project?
I commit that:
• No work will begin on the project until after obtaining authorization from the DBC on vendors, methods, timelines, materials, etc.
• All of the fundraising solicitations for this project are/will be accurate, truthful and free of undue influence or pressure.
• The parish will be transparent and put in their bulletin and online their parish finances, as well as project finances/status.
• The parish will honor all promises made regarding how and when gifts are used.
• All fundraising efforts for this project will meet the Catholic Standards for Excellence benchmark of at least 3:1 (meaning $3 net amount raised, to no more than $1 spent to raise that amount).
• This financial stewardship program will be operated within the context of the 3-Year Pastoral Plan.
• All donor information and donations will be captured in the Realm parish database, available to be shared with the Diocesan Office of Stewardship & Development.
So it would seem that the diocese does understand in theory that one ought to practice a great deal of prudence, transparency and business ethics so as not to overextend oneself or to commit too much of other people’s money to costly projects. Yet, sadly, it’s less clear that any such checks exist on the spending projects of the diocesan higher-ups.
In that light, such eagle-eyed penny counting at the parish level (and especially the requirement that donor information be “captured” in a database for the Office of Stewardship & Development), feels more like an attempt to make sure there will be no encroachment on the funds desired for the diocese itself, rather than just encouragement for parishes to be responsible. Note that the parish’s first priority is never to be something like fixing its leaky roof or replacing its furnace, but to meet its diocesan ministry appeals goal.
Financial problems occur. Most of us have faced them at one time or another. Poor money management may not always be a moral failing. But sometimes it is.
Readers have already observed that the current diocesan ministries appeal (“Hearts on Fire”) has now incorporated the Seminarian Fund, and features a caveat that donations may not be earmarked for specific purposes.
This is convenient, because a dutiful parishioner might donate, intending to support good endeavors like seminary education, while in reality the donation can be diverted to whatever the diocese wishes, including the less appealing purposes of covering ongoing losses at the Tipton center or to paying for all the new hires brought in to administrate UiH projects. (Don’t think we don’t see that from the pews.)
And even the heavy burdens levied on parishes for the ministries appeal are still not sufficient to cover the costs being incurred by diocesan mandate.
For example, missionary pastors were warned to expect charges for the amount of $10,000 per parish. This cost, which is separate from and in addition to their Catholic Ministries Appeal goal, is to pay for more costs related to implementing UiH, possibly the required re-education of parish leaders. These invoices arrived recently, and it’s time to cough up.
How might that impact a parish without many financial resources? And what about pastorates comprised of a number of small or less wealthy parishes, already struggling with the ministry appeal goals? Add the effects of COVID-related monetary losses on families and by transference, on the parish. Where is an additional $10,000 per parish, maybe totaling $50,000 or $60,000 for a pastorate, to come from?
Yet the diocese apparently cannot fund the projects it starts without these revenues.
This in our opinion is where poor money management starts to look like a moral evil. Because what happens when a parish cannot meet these mounting financial costs? Cessation of its ministries and services? Closure?
So that the pockets of its parishioners can continue to be emptied into an unending vacuum of a project many miles away that most Catholics in this diocese will never set foot in?
And so that, if they cannot afford to keep paying into the mandatory costs of all these grandiose projects created above them, their parish no longer gets to exist? So take away Jesus and lock the doors?
Because if so, that would be:
1. lacking in good sense, normal prudence and foresight;
2. criminally or tragically foolish conduct;
3. an evil or foolish idea;
4. an excessively costly and unprofitable enterprise; and
5. all for the sake of an extravagant and largely useless project.
A folly.
“Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.”
Ezekiel 34:2
Merriam-Webster’s featured “Word of the Day” at the time of this writing is reprove.
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41 Replies to “The Folly”
After mass yesterday I heard that the Tipton center needs over $300,000 each year from the bishop just to break even. That means “from us in the pews”. There is also talk of a major multi-million expansion. Who is making these decisions and running this place?
Someone clearly in over his head.
When going on the diocese website you will be looking for the accountability report for 2018
Is this a different report then the one linked in the article?
If you look at the letter and report here
https://d2y1pz2y630308.cloudfront.net/2446/documents/2019/6/Letter%20from%20Diocesan%20Leadership%20and%202018%20Audited%20Financial%20Statements%20of%20the%20DOL.pdf
you’ll see that after investing many millions in the Joseph Center, the diocese had to write off over $5 million. The value is now much less than all the improvements made. So $5 million went up in smoke. That is our money just thrown away. And I’m told it loses hundreds of thousand each year that the diocese makes up which is also our money. Insanity!
Was this properly reported to Rome and parishioners beyond this report?
I found a financial report for the diocese that shows the monies lost on the investment at St Joseph, Tipton. You can find this report at: HTTPS//dol-.org/administration.1
Although it may not answer all questions I believe you can see there was an effort made to expose the folly of this investment. Perhaps the real question is : who are the individuals who pushed for this folly? Who has the power and the ear of the bishop?
Finally, we are entering dark times, let’s increase our prayers and fasting for our Bishop and priests and of course, the return of Catholic Tradition!
Dudzinski
I will be interested to hear if you get an answer, Red Wolf. This right here is the transparency I want. And, I won’t give another dime until they can give an honest accounting of the debacle in Tipton.
I couldn’t agree more.
Now parishioners are getting plea letters. St Ann’s, Lafayette,is 170K in the hole. They sent an envelope for a recovery gift. St Mary Cathedral(!) also sent letters similar letter for St Mary’s
..100k in the hole! How embarrassing for priests to stand these out! How’s about the VG sell his private residence and move into a rectory— or the bishop’s roomy residence? That would at least pay off two parishes!
In related news: Our diocese fell to a rate of 50% financially transparent in 2020 after scoring 67% in 2019, according to this Voice of the Faithful “2020 Report on Measuring and Ranking Diocesan Financial Transparency” located on their website here:
http://votf.org/node/1587
Our other Indiana dioceses mostly did better than us, some much better:
Arch-Indy – holding their own at 89%
Fort Wayne/SB – taking the top spot going to 90% in 2020 from 82% in 2019
Evansville – trending down, going to 59% in 2020 from 64% in 2019
Gary – taking the bottom spot, holding at 42%
So….we’re slightly better than Gary? I’m not sure that counts as a mark of distinction, especially after posting the sharpest rate of transparency decline in the state from 2019 to 2020.
Still, I can see the overpaid marketing people for Uniting in Heart putting the bumper sticker design together now: “The Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana: At Least We’re Not Gary!”
I sent in my pledge card with $0 pledged — and a note that I refuse to give until this bishop, VG and others responsible for Tipton mess are gone. In return, I got a letter from the bishop saying he will address concerns of those who made comments on pledge cards – but he can’t do this in person. It will be in videos on the diocesan website … waiting with baited breath
Honestly, if news broke that our diocesan leadership made a massive cash withdrawal from the diocesan piggy bank, stuffed it all into suitcases, threw them onto a private jet, hopped on board and headed for Bora Bora, would anyone here be surprised? There is and there will be no transparency under this leadership because they have so much to be ashamed of. The current regime inherited a diocese that was financially stable, vocationally rich, and tossed it into an incinerator. What a crushing blow to their malignant pride to have dragged out into the light what abject failures they’ve been in everything that matters. They will never risk exposure. Why do you think they’re hiring so many lay-experts to manage things? Their expertise? Come on. It’s cover! Corrupt tyrants always surrounds themselves with useful idiots to toss into the crossfire when the heat gets too close for comfort. You’ll see.
Only a massive conversion of heart on the part of our leadership (of the Saul-on-the-way-to-Damascus variety) or being graced with a truly humble successor bishop is going to fix this train wreck now. I’m covering my bases and praying for both.
Come, Lord Jesus.
I have given thought to Mr McKillip’s inside knowledge and ability to give the laity answers concerning the Motherhouse. However, I am sure he signed documents vowing no disclosure of diocese finances. If he were to give us this information he would most certainly lose his employment and thus damage the stability of his family. Perhaps we ask too much. The bishop should be the focus and all laity of this diocese could write, in great numbers, to the Nuncio to force a resolution to the deafness the bishop has to the laity.
Unfortunately we will withhold donations that will cause more disruption in the diocese… should we begin regular, loud protest at the bishops residence until he gives an answer? He seems to respond favorably to that approach.
Thank you, and to clarify: none of the above is intended as a slight against Mr. McKillip.
I know there is no animosity toward Mr. McKillip, your article is in-depth and insightful. Seems there would be fear of retribution from this bishop by any priest or employee that seeks this information… we need to force his hand but I can’t offer a solid suggestion on how to make that happen.
“should we begin regular, loud protest at the bishops residence until he gives an answer? He seems to respond favorably to that approach.”
If by respond favorably, you mean close the diocesan offices, and hide in fear because his sheep are praying a rosary for him and singing hymns, then yes, I would agree that he seems to respond favorably.
Then let’s bring cymbals, bells and other noise makers!!!
Does anyone know any of the laity on the Finance Council or Audit or Investment Committees? They might be able to get these answers.
https://www.dol-in.org/administration-1
In other news, just read my daughters the fairy tale “The Wild Swans”. The archbishop is the bad guy in it.
The St Joseph Retreat Center: brought to us by the same geniuses who brought us the loss of our parishes and pastors during COVID 19.
Heartless criminals the whole lot of them.
No…….I have known “heartless criminals” with more integrity. I have ate with people that committed murder and armed robbery and I would trust them more than I would trust the leadership of this Bishop. I thought I was coming back to a church that served God and treated people right. Wrong…. I guess it was a mistake to come back. Sorry, to the young priest that heard my confession a few years back. He was one of the good ones. I am sure the bishop has sent him to the outer limits by now.
Ah, Our Lady of the Outer Limits….my favorite parish! Where good priests are exiled, the pews are packed, souls are saved, and mass is occasionally in Latin…
Wow!
The total revenue for the 61 parishes is more than the total expenditures?
If this is true, then why have we been made to believe that our parishes are failing and this crap diocesan plan is partially about bailing out the failing parishes? It sounds like the parishes are largely doing fine and it is the DIOCESE that is failing, and the DIOCESE that has made poor financial decisions, and that this ridiculous plan is about having the parishes bail out the DIOCESE for it’s poor, negligent, and possibly even criminal financial decisions. Unbelievable!
We want the report!!!!
We demand the report!!!!
Where is the Tipton report!!??
I will not give another dime until I see the report!!!!
“Readers have already observed that the current diocesan ministries appeal (“Hearts on Fire”) has now incorporated the Seminarian Fund, and features a caveat that donations may not be earmarked for specific purposes.”
I have a question, perhaps the CPAs reading this can answer. If I give a donation to Hearts and Fire with the stipulation that it be earmarked for a specific purpose, does the diocese have a legal obligation to return the donation? If so, would that be a good way to protest the lack of laity input into Hearts on Fire and cost overruns at the Tipton Retreat Center?
I wouldn’t count on it, unless you had a way of making the stipulaution robustly legally binding.
Good luck with trying to earmark funds for seminarians. Our diocesan leadership means to raid the seminarian fund. Period. They’re money hungry; And lust for money makes you break all the rules. It wouldn’t surprise me if our leadership requires seminarians to disclose their personal financial statements, that way if they notice any “personal donations” in those accounts from well-meaning laity trying to circumvent the “system”, they can shake that cash out of that seminarian faster than you can say Pachamama. We’re not dealing with honest people here.
If you want to support your seminarians, encourage them to study for the priesthood for an honest diocese or religious order. Our diocesan leadership doesn’t deserve any seminarians, just like they don’t deserve a single penny from the laity.
And, no, I’m not worried they’re going to threaten church closures or strip the sacraments from us if we don’t donate. Let them. They’ve already demonstrated they’re perfectly willing to render to Caesar what belongs to God by willingly closing churches and cutting off access to the sacraments because the government told them to (over a virus with a 99% recovery rate). They are incapable of breaking my heart anymore.
For the sake of their own souls, I pray they come to their senses. But I’m not holding my breath.
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap.”
– Galatians 6:7
Why are big grants being handed out to reorganize the Church in the U.S.? Who is behind this? Why are bishops acting so quickly to radically reorganize parish life, destroying their independence? Why are sweeping policies being implemented with seemingly no scrutiny from Rome? Or is Rome encouraging this? Why is the way of parish life and priesthood being transformed in ways that canon laws don’t even address?
Are any of the major national Catholic news sites covering this? Do they even know about it? Is it just coincidence that this is happening around the same time that there are calls for communism and transforming America?
This is actually a great point. It’s highly suspicious that secular entitles are showing such “concern” for the Church. Well, as with virtually all things diabolical in the first world, follow the money and you’ll eventually arrive at the truth…
Is there any connection to the “Catholic Spring” and front groups for changing the Church revealed by Wikileaks?
https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2016/10/clinton-campaign-fire-critical-emails-catholic-church/
Whether there is an unknown behind restructuring the U.S. Church or not there is no doubt that a compliant pope and a compliant clergy is good or the “Great Reset” global agenda transforming our country.
Looks like they are setting up to say there are no moral problems with very morally troubling vaccines as well. They even got the SSPX to fall in line as well. Troubling times.
Help us, Lord! We want to do your will.
It’s quite stunning to see the level of financial commitment made to the retreat center in light of the ongoing needs for evangelization at the parish level. I’m a CPA and whenever you do a cost-benefit analysis, you always look at the opportunity cost. What could we have spent this money on elsewhere? I did mergers & acquisitions for years and I cringe to hear they were saddled with an environmental mess. If they had savvy representation they would have put an exit clause in the contract for environmental contamination or massive basket for remediation. Lastly, when you purchase something it’s important to do a 20-year projection of cash flow BEFORE you buy it. You begin with the outflow in year 1 and then look at every year thereafter and the cash flow that would result our cash outflow and discount it back. Didn’t anyone do this? So frustrating as we have talented CPAs/finance professionals throughout this diocese that could easily have helped with such an analysis. But perhaps this is what they didn’t want. Sometimes in deals when you want it so badly … you don’t bring in the right experts that are going to tell you it’s not wise … because then there is a trail showing your egregious bad governance.
If only the diocese made the same financial commitment to our priests!
Many bishops don’t seem to value priesthood. They don’t treat their priests as sons or brothers with a holy vocation but as employees.
As long as Novus Ordo is the order of the day, we will not concur , the only way to address this is for the Church to come home to its people. And the way home is the traditional Latin Mass, there are many parishes that allow this, we have to travel many miles to attend. It is wrong.
I agree with you, the novus ordo is word for word the Lutheran mass, small difference, they don’t pretend to do the Transubstantiation but instead just pass out pieces of bread. The songs and women in pantsuits are the same. And we wonder where the Catholics are gone… serves the parishes right that this is happening. Until we return to the beauty and truth of the church we should pray for the priest, bishops and Pope and the dear souls whom they have led astray. Catholics of today have no clue of the True Church! Cumbaya y’all!
A bishop being able to treat their priests as sons or brothers requires a very important ingredient: authentic masculinity. This is something most bishops do not have. In fact, they are deeply intimidated by it and were likely selected for consecration by the lavender-episcopal mafia BECAUSE they are emasculated, weak men.
These are the sick times we live in.
Faithful priests that are not compromised by this emasculated state need to form brotherly bonds ASAP with priests like themselves if they’re going to survive this trial in the Church. Profound healing is needed for the rest, of the order only the Divine Physician can deliver, in order to reclaim their lost masculinity.
The devil hates real men. He hates real men who will fight for Truth to their last breath. And if that real man happens to be a priest, all the more terrifying to the devil is that man; For the demonic cannot long endure the weapons a priest can bring to the spiritual battlefield. And if a good and holy bishop enters the fray….well, let’s just say there is a reason the twelve apostles were so good at converting THOUSANDS immediately after Pentecost and why so many of their saintly successor bishops saved countless souls.
It’s a crisis of masculinity. It infects the church and the culture. That’s how it works in Christendom: Evils that fester in the Church eventually spread to the culture. Thanks be to God we have His promise in Matthew 16:18. Until Christ comes again, that promise ensures a correction will come in some form to right the ship.
May it come soon…
This is a line of inquiry I’ve been waiting to see. Well done, Red Wolf. Stay with this. Financial scandals go hand in hand with so many other abuses.
As previously commented it’s all about power and money controlled by financially untrained and uneducated Powers or at the best limited training and education – they are using the government model on control and expenditures hold your thumb down and bleed them dry
With COVID already taking a hit on parishes operational income and expenses – parishes, like their parishioners, are cutting back, reviewing and reducing budgets – what is the Bishop doing? We need more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and if we don’t get it we will close you down?
Sounds like a plan to squeeze till dry then forget about them.
Perhaps this article can spark one of those old-fashioned 60-Minute interviews. Doubt the interview would be granted though. Sadly, no more Mike Wallace to come knocking at the diocesan office. Heck, at this point, I’d take Andy Rooney opining on the subject in one of his opinion segments, but he’s gone too.
Oh, and didn’t realize the site had asbestos issues. Maybe it’s a good thing after all that overnight high school retreats have been halted there currently due to social disturbing concerns.
Perilous times for souls—both at the top, and of those entrusted to them.
*social distancing (albeit disturbing )