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: According to an audit conducted by Deloitte Financial Advisory Services, Fr. Michael Jude Fay, who recently resigned from St. John Parish in Darien CT may have spent over $1.4 million in parish funds for personal purposes. The report released last week stated that this included $720,000 that Fr. Fay allegedly “expended from a hidden bank account unknown to the diocese and the Parish Finance Council”. The allegedly misspent money consisted of $515,000 that Fr. Fay withdrew through checks made payable to cash or to himself and approximately $829,000 in credit card charges with parish funds, the audit report says. Fay’s alleged improprieties became evident early in 2006 when the parish became unable to pay its bills, including a $25,000 outstanding loan balance to People’s Bank. A pattern of financial irregularities had reportedly been noted to Bishop William Lori of Bridgeport last year but nothing was done until a private investigator hired by the parish’s bookkeeper and assistant pastor brought the situation to the attention of law enforcement officials. The time for accountability is now!

Click here to learn more about our Campaign for Financial Accountability.

Progress: A federal bill (HR 4472) to create a national database of convicted child molesters was signed into law by President Bush last week. Our justice system continues to take this issue more seriously each year. But there is still a pressing need for other sexual abuse laws to be reformed to allow survivors of clergy sexual abuse their day in court. Meanwhile we will continue to request that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) set up their own national database of credibly accused priests, since most abusive priests will not be listed in a law enforcement database, until the laws change allowing more survivors to bring forth charges via the judicial system.

Click here to learn more about our Campaign to Protect Children through legislative reforms.

Look for the next Vineyard edition to be sent on August 24.

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