Here is what the audited annual reports show for Reconfiguration Operation Expense. Some of this is no doubt administrative, but most of it is the heating, cooling, electrical, taxes, snow removal and other facilities-related expenses associated with the closed parishes:
2005: $2,693,860
2006: $2,917,245
2007: $1,785,000
2008: $1,377,617
2009: $1,496,277
Total: $10,269,999
That is a lot of loot for invalid liturgies for a handful of people in these parishes.
How do you spend money on this and then have the audacity to send employees letters saying their pensions are underfunded and nearly bankrupt?
And - on this post, inquiring minds want to know how Jack Connors' pet projects are getting funded.
Pay attention to this:
But something noteworthy happens after the Reconfiguration Fund Oversight Committee was disbanded and subsequent reconfiguration funds were moved to the Central Fund, like the archdiocese disclosed would happen. Once centralized, it became possible for those funds to be granted or loaned to parishes or other entities outside the decree zone or unnamed in the decree without anyone really watching. For example, in the 2008 annual report we see this:
“On August 13, 2007 as part of the parish reconfiguration process $2.5 million was transferred to Trinity Catholic Academy Brockton, Inc.” a newly formed related organization that consolidated the operations of certain parish schools in Brockton.”
Maybe we missed something. How did Jack Connors’ new Catholic Schools program suddenly become part of the previous “parish reconfiguration process”?
How did Connors get a hold of the money and authority to jockey his cronies into nearly every lay position at the Archdiocese?
I'm beginning to wonder if somebody just showed up early at the Pastoral Center, holed up in an office and started ordering the jellyfish around, they could have control of the diocese.
The place is a mess and needs a whole new crew.
What do you say we each take an office, start passing out orders and send invoices every week for wizards to pay the bills?
6 comments:
My prayer today is that the Cardinal reads this blog and acts on cleaning up his "administration". That he will do exactly what the title of this Blog is named "Throw the Bums OUT in 2010" !!!! Not much time left Your Eminence.
For the true Christian, Death is something we can welcome without fear because we are promised Eternal Life if we remain Faithful.
That which is true for the individual person is also true for the Institution.It just may be that the RCAB / Corporation Sole should die in order to RISE TO NEW LIFE.
Have we become enablers and co-dependents in maintaining an entity which no longer represents the FOUNDER ?
Fr. Bill
Carol,
Are a lot of Catholics walking away from the "mainstream" Church in Boston and going elsewhere? The Archdiocese sounds completely out of control! As a matter of fact, the entire Church lately seems to have spun out of control as well.
Mother of Mercy, help us!
Veronica
Not all closed parishes held vigils. Parish properties were in limbo because of outstanding appeals to the Vatican, not vigils. They could not be sold while the appeals were active. The parish buildings would have been empty, with similar maintenance expenses, whether they were occupied or not. In fact, the vigils may have spared these churches the vandalism that often happens to vacant buildings. In one case of a church that did not have a vigil, its grounds became the local druggie hangout, and homeless people broke into and briefly inhabited it.
Perhaps we should question the choice of property management firm (originally, in 2004, Copley, which has since become Newmark). Is the Archdiocese overpaying for property management services?
Was the diocese under some kind of legal obligation to maintain the closed churches only because the closings were being appealed to the Vatican? Or did the diocese feel sorry for the "vigilers"?
The diocese was under an obligation not to dispose or sell the properties while the parishioners appealed to the Vatican.
When you shut down your summer home for the winter, you do the things you need to do to preserve the home. You shut off the water, electricity, heat, you tighten up the building and lock it up.
If a band of squatters comes along, you do nothing and keep paying the electricity, heat and maintenance costs. You call the police, get a trespass order from the judge and you have the people evicted.
The squatters are performing invalid liturgies headed by looney women - some of them serving on the Altar as though they were validly ordained priests who can transubstantiate the Eucharist.
As bad as the money is to take, can you imagine leaving souls you are accountable for to hole themselves in an empty building with people simulating sacraments when Christ's Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity and His authentic Sacraments are a couple of miles down the road?
The cost of their misguided compassion is terrifying.
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