PURGE. SANCTIFY. DEFEND
“ Go rebuild my Church, which you see is falling into ruins.”
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY
This abuse crisis has cost the church billions. So you may understand a clearer picture here is a
1985 document, "a secret report among bishops" estimating costs. This proves they not only recognized
the crisis but were estimating the costs.
It is imperative that we demand accountability from the diocese. We need to do this firsthand because we
cannot rely on their untrustworthy information.
First we need to know where the money has come from.
The church is a non-profit entity which under the law must properly account for its finances.
Over the years we as Catholics have given money for what we thought were just christian causes, ie to build Gods Church. If those monies were used under false pretenses we have theft by deception.
Let's use our schools for examples. Over the past several years our parishes have raised funds for our Catholic schools. While Catholics were asked to support their local schools was the diocese already planning on consolidation? If we paid for a new CCD center at St Michael's were we told the facility and its assets were being turned over to another entity?
When we raised money for books, computers and equipment were we informed they would be taken and given to another facility?
For decades Catholics have left monies in trusts and designated accounts for specific uses in the church. I was told these monies have been moved around with almost no supervision. If a catholic family left money to support a k-8 school system what happens to that money now?
By their own admission, the diocese has paid out tens of millions of dollars in our monies to hide sex crimes and sexually active priests, it is time to find out where that money came from. We know it came from us, but exactly from where? Were trust funds stolen?
1. We need an audit with line details of all spending that was involved in these cases including all secret payouts. The church is a non-profit whose leadership has embezzled millions of dollars.
2. We need an analysis of all insurance payments and costs associated with these problems.
3. We need a list of all priests who have committed these atrocities and what financial support the diocese is paying to them now. (If you raped our children you don’t get a pension)
4. We should consider a civil suit against the Bishop and any past Bishops or people who helped embezzle our money.
5. The Bishop should be removed as trustee from all schools and they should be placed in the care or individual parishes.
6. All funds for Stewardship appeals should be withheld until we get accountability.
7. A lay organization should be appointed to review priestly misconduct and an outside firm should monitor any complaints.
8. The diocese should institute an ethics program that applies to everyone employed by the diocese. Everyone should be responsible for reporting abuse or mismanagement.
9.They should suspend all diocesan programs and re prioritize finances. If we can’t pay for our schools then we should not be funding other ventures.
10. The current Bishop cannot serve as a Shepherd he should be asked to step down. Our priesthood should be purged of those priests who can’t be trusted.