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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.
A
September 14, 2007 article in the New
Jersey Star Ledger highlights both the Problem and
Progress this week. Click
here to read the article. Problem
Embezzlements of Church funds continue to mount
As
previously reported, a study released by Villanova
University researchers last December revealed that
in the past 5 years 85% of US dioceses have discovered
at least one case of embezzlement. A separate VOTF
study of news articles has unveiled 47 cases of financial
thefts and embezzlements in Church institutions since
January 2006, with losses totaling close to $24.5
million. One recent case in New Jersey involves a part
time
bookkeeper who allegedly wrote checks to herself
totaling $30,000.
Progress
Lay finance council discovers theft
The bad news is that the New Jersey parish mentioned
above had such a lax accounting system that thefts
could occur. The good news is that “the incongruities
were found by members of the parish's finance council,
some of them newly named by the church pastor,” after
the IRS questioned payroll tax payments.
When
the council members old and new began working together,
discrepancies were discovered which
required further
scrutiny. The pastor, Rev. Martin Glynn, called in
an outside person to look at the books, and that
person
confirmed the discrepancies. The matter was then turned
over to authorities, said a diocesan press release.
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