Voice of the Faithful Focus – A brief update highlighting both a problem in our church and some progress being made as we work together to Keep the Faith, Change the Church.

Progress

“Kids! What the heck’s the matter with kids today?” sang the cast in the Sixties Broadway musical Bye, Bye Birdie. It seems that every generation wrings their hands and bewails that the current younger generation will never amount to much of anything. And of course, they will never go to church! That’s why we found this survey on the attitudes of young Catholics and their interest in serving in Catholic ministry so refreshing.

http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=10926

Problem

The news reports continue to document cases of financial mismanagement and theft at Catholic institutions all over the country. Here are some headlines we have collected in just the past two weeks.

FBI investigates financial mismanagement at Kansas church
http://www.joplinglobe.com/neo_sek/local_story_207215923.html?
keyword=secondarystory

Bookkeeper steals $330,000 from Florida parish
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080726/ARTICLE/807260338/
2055&title=Church_s_former_worker_arrested

Woman steals $500,000 from parish day care center
http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/715861.html

Voice of the Faithful has tracked news stories of this sort since January 2006. So far we have detailed 75 cases totaling over $30.4 million. A study by Villanova University revealed that 85% of dioceses surveyed experienced at least one case of embezzlement in the previous five years.

Isn’t it time for a solution? 
Shouldn’t every diocese and parish in the nation have independent, representative Finance Councils in place and operating? Such councils, given the proper authority, would oversee the implementation of financial reporting and controls as well as provide internal audits and independent oversight. Independent Councils would not eliminate the occasional fraud. But they would lessen the opportunity for theft and help rekindle trust in our Church. It is within our power as Catholics to make this happen.