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Parish Closings Fast Facts

January 14, 2004 statement on Parish Closings

February 3, 2004 letter from Jim Post and John Hynes to Archbishop O’Malley

March 8, 2004 VOTF statement calling for moratorium

March 9, 2004 letter from Steve Krueger to Chris Coyne

March 31, 2004 letter from John Hynes to O’Malley

March 31, 2004 Letter from Mark Maloney, Boston Redevelopment Authority, to Bishop Richard Lennon

May 7, 2004 statement by John Hynes

Flyer for May 23, 2004 event

Financial Implications information

 

March 9, 2004

Rev. Christopher J. Coyne
Secretary of Community Relations
Archdiocese of Boston
2121 Commonwealth Ave.
Brighton, MA 02135-3193

Dear Rev. Coyne:

I am writing to you today regarding the information you agreed to help Voice of the Faithful obtain, on NECN’s Newsnight, in addressing questions related to the Archdiocese of Boston’s transparency, accountability and meaningful lay involvement in the reconfiguration process.

The Archbishop and administrators of the Archdiocese are stewards of the financial and physical resources of the Archdiocesan community, all of which flow from the voluntary contributions of individuals, living or deceased. In this spirit of stewardship, and in a time when all Catholics are being called to sacrifice, a special need exists for transparency and full disclosure.

In that context, we believe there is a need for additional information for the Archdiocese of Boston to disclose essential information that can be grouped in to three general categories as presented below. •

  • Role of the laity in the reconfiguration process and in addressing the underlying problem of declining Mass attendance
    • How will the Central Committee be selected?
    • If appointed, who or what committee determines the appointments?
    • Has anyone been selected yet?
    • If so, who are they and will you make their names public?
    • May we obtain a copy of the long-term comprehensive pastoral plan that addresses the issue of declining Mass attendance?
    • If no document exists, is there a plan to develop one and to make it available to every Catholic in the Archdiocese of Boston?
    • May we obtain a listing of which parishes have functioning Parish Pastoral Councils, Parish Finance Committees, and Children’s Safety Committee and a copy of the plan to implement them where they do not exist?
    • If no plan exists, is there a plan to develop one and to make it available to
    • every Catholic in the Archdiocese of Boston?
    • If neither of the above plans exist, would the Archdiocese of Boston accept assistance in developing such plans from qualified and concerned Catholic laity?
  • Physical and financial condition and role of each parish in the community
    • In the past few years an assessment was made to determine the costs involved to address the capital needs of each parish. What are those needs and associated costs for each parish, on a parish by parish basis, and what was the standard used to determine those needs?
    • How much does each parish, on a parish by parish basis, owe the Archdiocese of Boston?
    • How much financial support has the Archdiocese of Boston provided to each parish, on a parish by parish basis, in the past five years?
    • How much support has each parish, on a parish by parish basis, provided to the Archdiocese of Boston in the past five years?
    • What indexing process has been developed to determine the importance of each parish to its faith and geographic communities and what are those indexes for each parish?
    • What indexing process has been developed to determine the importance and effectiveness of the outreach ministries of each parish to its faith and geographic communities and what are those indexes for each parish?
    • Has an evaluation of the liquidation value of each parish been conducted?
    • If so, where is it available?
  • Information regarding the financial condition of the Archdiocese of Boston
    • The Archdiocese of Boston is comprised of many corporations. How many are there - what are the names – and what does each one do?
    • Which corporation owns the parishes of the Archdiocese of Boston?
    • Where are the complete audited financial statements of the corporation that owns the parishes posted? If not posted, then may we receive a copy of them for each of the preceding five years?
    • Where are the complete audited financial statements of each corporation of the Archdiocese of Boston posted? If not posted, then may we receive a copy of them for each of the preceding five years?
    • Would the Archdiocese of Boston be willing to convene a committee to define which financial statements of which corporations should be consolidated to provide Catholics in the Archdiocese of Boston the information they need to understand the financial condition of the Archdiocese - or be willing to file Form 990 required of other nonprofit organizations for each corporation - and therefore provide Catholics with essential information for their stewardship?
    • May we obtain a list of the secured and unsecured debt of the Archdiocese of Boston, by lender, and what loan covenants if any have been violated, or does the Archdiocese anticipate violating?
    • Who or what committee will determine how the proceeds from the sale of the net assets of each parish will be distributed?
    • What input will the parishes and clusters have in determining how these funds will be allocated?
    • What are the current estimated uses of the proceeds from the sale of parish property based on Bishop Lennon’s letter of February 13th?

Finally, in the May 23, 2003 edition of the Pilot Chancellor David Smith disclosed that the 2003 budget for the Central Fund would be available in a week (May 30, 2003) and for 2004 by July 1, 2003. Additionally, he indicated that the financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003 would be available in the fall of 2003. Where are these on the Web site or how can we obtain a copy of these financial documents?

Rev. Coyne, thank you for your assistance in obtaining this essential information which will begin to provide a level of transparency and accountability that will serve to restore trust - the essential first step in rebuilding the Archdiocese of Boston.

Warm regards,

Steven A. Krueger
Executive Director
Voice of the Faithful

cc: Archbishop Sean P. O’Malley, OFM Cap
Bishop Richard G. Lennon
James Post
John Hynes