tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post1639817831061377066..comments2024-03-23T09:59:53.293+00:00Comments on LINEN ON THE HEDGEROW: If the Bishop's were Executives, they'd have been fired long agoRichard Collinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10826907710570316952noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post-76748703361373062532012-11-13T23:34:05.506+00:002012-11-13T23:34:05.506+00:00Sorry meant to write "Law diverted upwards of...Sorry meant to write "Law diverted upwards of $70-$80M in Christmas and Easter collections FROM the retired priest fund"Tedhttp://www.yahoo.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post-26368170927288820342012-11-13T17:40:23.833+00:002012-11-13T17:40:23.833+00:00Don't blame the bishops. Many of them were put...Don't blame the bishops. Many of them were put in charge of dioceses because of their fidelity to the magesterium not their administrative accumen. Indeed, the old expression of a bishop that is better at blessing than budgeting is true.<br /><br />Each diocese is a multimillion dollar corporation that affects the lives of thousands or more and too often dioceses are put in the hands of men woefully Ill suited to managing people, public relations, or finances.<br /><br />The problem is the system itself. Each diocese is basically run like a medieval fief, with the bishop on top. though he has plenty of advisors and must consider the lay and clerical reaction to any of his moves, he still has final say in everything. "Whatever father wants" is not just a saying but an operating principle in the institutional church. <br /><br />Father gets whatever father wants regardless of how ill-advised, irresponsible, or downright stupid it is.<br /><br />Here in Boston we're still learning about how poorly Bernard Cardinal Law managed archdiocesan finances (in addition to his horrific and dishonest handling of abusive priests). <br /><br />Unbeknownst to the layity, over 18 years Law diverted upwards of $70-$80M in Christmas and Easter collections to the retired priest fund to pay for other archdiocesan costs. Law ran up a $110M defecit in the fund that took his successor 10 years of intense fundraising to erase.<br /><br />And in the aftermath, we have only the word of our current Cardinal (a good one) that the fund won't be similarly mishandled in the future. <br /><br />I'd rather have firm safeguards and a system of financial checks and balances (with lay involvement) to keep any future bishops from raiding the priest retirment fund than more promises.Tedhttp://www.yahoo.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post-62121581504882307072012-11-13T11:13:58.500+00:002012-11-13T11:13:58.500+00:00
Thank you AP (and all)<br />Thank you AP (and all)Richard Collinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10826907710570316952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post-30505150019872556602012-11-12T20:23:44.281+00:002012-11-12T20:23:44.281+00:00Brilliant, sir.Brilliant, sir.Aged parenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05217229048176272954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post-33233945939631035252012-10-31T22:43:02.522+00:002012-10-31T22:43:02.522+00:00"If George Orwell was alive and writing Anima..."If George Orwell was alive and writing Animal Farm today he would not be focusing on Communism but on the Catholic Church."<br /><br />You said it. This is something I think about, and often sarcastically quote often.<br /><br />Peace friend,<br />Jason @ AMCAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post-90219518678916500602012-10-31T15:18:47.938+00:002012-10-31T15:18:47.938+00:00St Peter at Pearly Gates: "And what percentag...St Peter at Pearly Gates: "And what percentage of the people put into your care did you lead to Heaven?"<br /><br />Priest: " ... ... ..."<br /><br />(Fill in the gap).Victor S E Moubarakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04280638667651857296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682550116445790117.post-61251498401813011242012-10-31T10:08:56.308+00:002012-10-31T10:08:56.308+00:00Glad you've reverted. It was a pain in the fun...Glad you've reverted. It was a pain in the fundament and, being of the naif school, I couldn't get my head around the new system. People can always repost.<br />I don't know why but whenever I see a picture of a certain bishop he seems to be wearing a loud check suit and spats. Must go to Specsavers.<br /> Gentyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05569143943867323153noreply@blogger.com