Why over the top?.... know how much is spent for office supplies and the like...it is open and in our budget (line by line).
My question to you is why would you want to be ministered to by someone you know nothing about...the Bible talks about wolves in sheeps clothing and the hirelings who come to lead the sheep astray...we are to guard ourselves from that type of man.... It is not about the ones outside the church that Jesus is talking about...it is those who penetrate in and take positions of authority to lure those he loves away. They are out there...they are in our church bodies...we need to safeguard against them....
A lot of people are hurt by those who claim to profess Jesus Christ as their Savior...when in reality they have their own aganda...be it sexual perversion, a thirst for power, whatever.
I am not willing to entrust my spiritual well being or that of my family, to anyone who comes down the pike. I want to know his credentials but especially who he really is.
The authorities that be require a background check for anyone who interacts with "youth" at our church. Youth= anyone under 18. (This included a young man who had been in the choir for 4 years, an Eagle Scout, an Altar Server, an honors student, MAO, NHS and just turned 18.)
People left the choir and other ministries because they felt like they were being treated like common criminals.
You seem not to have a problem with it.
Honest people do object to being treated like criminals.
And you are acting like he is a criminal without knowing the whole story.
Have you asked your pastor to see the results of his background check? Have you interviewed people from where he has served before? Have you sought his personnel file? Have you fingerprinted him? Don't you feel you have the right to know?
That is the point.
Giving this woman the same financial statements that the Parish Council and the Auditors see should be sufficient.
This OBVIOUSLY wasn't the priest's or the Bishop's first encounter with this person.