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.

Problem
The Archdiocese of New York recently released the final list of parishes slated to be closed. While this list is substantially shorter than the preliminary list released in March 2006, it included the names of some “vibrant parishes” including Our Lady Queen of Angels (OLQA) in East Harlem. It should be noted that most of the 21 parishes slated to be closed are located in low-income neighborhoods. The question on everyone’s mind is ‘What was the decisive factor that has one parish closing vs another?’

Voice of the Faithful began the education process on closings and mergers almost two years ago when the Archdiocese first announced their intent. We have continued to advise and assist a number of the parishes threatened with closure including assistance with the recent protest held on behalf of OLQA. Read more.

Progress
For five years Voice of the Faithful has been insisting on greater lay involvement as well as greater financial accountability and transparency within the nation’s Catholic parishes and dioceses. It is heartening to note that US bishops may be hearing that message. As noted in the Jan. 25 Vineyard, the Accounting Practices Committee, a group of lay experts who advise the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has called for tighter internal controls over finances in the nation’s more than 19,000 parishes. In addition to recommendations on tighter financial controls and transparency Bishop Dennis M. Schnurr, Treasurer of the USCCB is quoted in the press release saying "Finance is an area of parish ministry that is wide open for participation of the laity. Members of the laity who have expertise and experience with administration and finance should be invited and encouraged to consider a stewardship of their talents. The message to our seminarians should be that, as parish leaders, they are to recognize, call forth and coordinate the talents that God has entrusted to a particular parish community."

For the USCCB press release, click here.

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