Bishop Lennon Declines Voice of
Compassion-Boston Donations
Lenten Message of Healing Undermined by Archdiocesan
Decision in the Face of Severe Budget Cuts
Newton, Mass. - April 1, 2003 - Voice of the Faithful has
learned that on behalf of the Archdiocese of Boston, Bishop Richard
G. Lennon has declined to accept charitable contributions totaling
approximately $35,000 for the Archdiocese of Boston or any of its
related entities, including Catholic Charities. These monies constitute
the second installment from the Voice of Compassion-Boston Fund,
a fund sponsored by Voice of the Faithful and administered by the
National Catholic Community Foundation.
"The decision by Bishop Richard G. Lennon to deny programs and
ministries of the archdiocese the heart-felt gifts of concerned
Catholics contradicts the pastoral responsibilities incumbent upon
our bishop, " said Jim Post, president, Voice of the Faithful. "Today's
actions will contribute to the creation of a new wave of victims
from the ongoing Church scandal who suffer from the pain of church
closings, school closings, layoffs and program cuts."
To date, the Voice of Compassion-Boston Fund has raised $100,000
from Catholic donors. Although it is much less than the $8 million
shortfall of the 2002 Cardinal's Appeal's stated goal of $17 million,
these gifts could have provided immediate benefits to a number of
programs in need:
- $100,000 could have
funded three teachers for Catholic schools.
- $100,000 could have
enabled Catholic schools to hire ten teachers' aides.
- $100,000 could have
been used to aid victims of clergy sexual abuse.
- $100,000 could enable
campus ministers to reach out to students in need.
- $100,000 could fund
a dozen high school scholarships, or a 1,000 nights of housing
for homeless men and women, or pay the heating oil bill for more
than 1,000 households.
"It is a bitter irony that Bishop Lennon's Lenten message of
healing and unity is undermined by actions that will allow unnecessary
pain to be felt by the people of the archdiocese," Post added.
According to the Voice of Compassion-Boston Fund's mechanism,
the National Catholic Community Foundation will now offer the
gift of $35,000 to Catholic Charities. Catholic Charities previously
agreed to receive the $56,000 gift raised via the fund's first
quarter distribution in December 2002.
About the Voice of Compassion-Boston Fund
The Voice of Compassion-Boston Fund was initiated by Voice of
the Faithful to respond to concerns about the decline in contributions
to the Cardinal's Appeal 2002 and the resulting impact on the
important programs, services and ministries of the Archdiocese
of Boston. The Cardinal's Appeal supports over 80 programs that
include spiritual and family programs, support for inner-city
parishes, educational programs, Catholic schools and campus
ministries, seminaries, health ministries and social services
and property management and facilities maintenance. Distribution
of Voice of Compassion-Boston Fund's gifts are intended to mirror
the distribution of funds from the Cardinal's Appeal. However,
Voice of Compassion funds will be applied only to direct costs
of these ministries, not to their indirect costs or to general
administrative or fund-raising expenses of the Archdiocese.
For more information regarding the Voice of Compassion-Boston
Fund please visit
here.
About National Catholic Community Foundation (NCCF)
The National Catholic Community Foundation was founded in 1997 as
a ministry to help donors become engaged in philanthropy. Now celebrating
its fifth anniversary, NCCF offers a comprehensive array of services
to donors and charitable organizations, including: the opportunity
for multi-generational philanthropy; flexibility to distribute funds
both nationally and internationally; and the resources of experienced
individuals in philanthropy, the Catholic Church, and finance. For
more information, please visit their web
site.
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