Posted on 11/21/2014 5:18:34 AM PST by TurboZamboni
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis reported a $9.1 million operating deficit for fiscal year 2014 and reiterated Thursday that it's considering filing for bankruptcy because of the potential for more lawsuits by victims of clergy sexual abuse.
The archdiocese released its financial information in its newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, more than a week after it said it was cutting its central office budget by 20 percent, including 11 jobs. Archbishop John Nienstedt called the situation "disheartening" but wrote that the chancery's finances won't directly affect parishes, schools or other Catholic institutions.
"I am determined to see that the ministries and essential services provided by the Chancery Corporation will continue," he wrote.
The archdiocese said its operating deficit can be partly attributed to $4.1 million spent to address allegations of clergy sexual abuse since May 2013, when a three-year window opened for abuse victims to file claims that were otherwise barred under the statute of limitations.
(Excerpt) Read more at twincities.com ...
That’s the goal.
[Faithful Departed author Philip] Lawler points out that while less than five percent of American priests have been accused of sexual abuse, some two-thirds of our bishops were apparently complicit in cover-ups. The real scandal isn't the sick excesses of a few dozen pedophiles, or even the hundreds of priests who had affairs with teenage boys -- the bulk of abuse cases. No, according to Lawler, it is the malfeasance of wealthy, powerful, and evidently worldly men who fill the thrones -- but not the shoes -- of the apostles. In case after case, we read in their correspondence, in the records of their soulless, bureaucratic responses to victims of psychic torture and spiritual betrayal, these bishops' prime concern was to save the infrastructure, the bricks and mortar and mortgages. Ironically, their lack of a supernatural concern for souls is precisely what cost them so much money in the end.
-- excerpted from the "Inside Catholic" blog article and 'Catholic Caucus' thread Kneeling Before the World....“The thesis of this book,” writes Lawler, “is that the sex abuse scandal in American Catholicism was not only aggravated but actually caused by the willingness of church leaders to sacrifice the essential for the inessential; to build up the human institution even to the detriment of the divine mandate.” Bishops again and again responded to the crisis as institutional managers, employing public relations stratagems to evade, deceive, and distract attention from their own responsibility. Lawler several times invokes the terse observation of St. Augustine, “God does not need my lie.” The bishops lied, says Lawler, and many of them are still lying. This is offered not as an accusation but as a conclusion that he believes is compelled by the evidence.
“The first aspect of the scandal, the sexual abuse of children, has been acknowledged and addressed,” Lawler writes. “The second aspect, the rampant homosexuality among Catholic priests, has been acknowledged but not addressed, and later even denied....The third aspect of the scandal has never even been acknowledged by American church leaders.” The third aspect, the malfeasance of bishops, “is today the most serious of all.”
-- excerpted from the "First Things" blog article "Paved with the Skulls of Bishops" by Richard John Neuhaus
Bad Bishops? Like that’s something new. Thanks for posting this, because there are not nearly enough anti-Catholic articles on Free Republic.
It’s interesting how Rome has structured herself. Decisions regarding the handling of known pedophile priests went all the way to Rome. The decisions certainly went beyond the diocese level. Should one part of the Roman church be able to hide assets behind the corporate shield while others declare bankruptcy? Where in the Bible is the universal church taught to employ asset protection strategies? Even if civil law shields her assets, doesn’t Rome have a moral obligation to compensate her victims?
How is reporting on the archidiocese's lack of fiscal health considered to be "anti-Catholic"?
You tell me, you know everything there is to know about the Catholic Church, right?
I have (as of the last week) found out some info that has shocked me WRT the RCC. The bishops openly admitted to destroying evidence (both in writing and vocally when pressed on it [shown their own writing in priest’s files]). In one case they admitted to destroying child porn held by a priest (this was in St. Paul).
I haven’t seen any use for the RCC for a long while, this cemented it for me.
The betrayal in the instant case I am speaking of is particularly close to home for my family.
Yep. One of a few dozen ongoing Black Ops being run by the Alinsky Far-Left. Bankrupting of the Catholic Church.
But it seems like the Catholic Church’s leader aligns with them politically. So why destroy them?
Come on church members, give at least 10% and more to rescue the church. You will be blessed by the church leaders.
A church is stiffing creditors and working people. How Christian.
“...considering filing for bankruptcy because of the potential for more lawsuits by victims of clergy sexual abuse.”
They better wait to file for bankruptcy AFTER the suits are filed.
defconw, feel free to bash Lutherans as well or any other religion. Exposure of this crap by any religion needs to be discussed and eventually leads to healing.
Apparently the Universal Church doesn’t believe in Universal Debt.
It is what it is. Steps have been taken to assure that priests can no longer hide. The whole "glass houses thing".
I keep my nose in my Church. But I appreciate what you are saying.
This article seems more anti-pedophile than anti-catholic to me. Of course the church has done more than enough damage to itself on this issue. I hardly needs any help from the outside.
L
Muslims don’t put anything in the baskets.
I’m not Catholic, so it is really big of me to spend the electrons to comment on this, but...
Anyone thinking of donating to that Archdiocese would be foolish to do so until the issue of the abuse claims is resolved in Bankruptcy court. Otherwise you may just be funneling money to the alleged victims and their lawyers. Post bankruptcy you will know if any of your future contributions will go to those folks, or if the Archdiocese will gain the benefit of all of it. Oh and by the way, stop letting gay pedophiles in to the clergy, it’s is a very expensive way to go.
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