There is always a tension between transparency and confidentiality. The two can walk hand in hand and the two are important for the Church of 2011.
Two major issues facing the Church today in terms of scandal are the sex abuse scandal and financial mismanagement if not outright criminal activity.
I can only speak for what is required in our diocese as it concerns financial transparency.
The Diocese of Savannah has broad guidelines that pastors must follow in terms of handling the offertory and establishing procedures that will reduce or eliminate the potential for theft, fraud or mistakes.
The Diocese of Savannah also offers oversight to the finances of each parish and typically should intervene if there are major problems. However, nothing if fail-safe and mistakes and misjudgments take place.
Diocesan policy requires that there be a Finance Council in each parish and that it functions. However there is not diocesan micro-management to determine if these policies are followed.
The parish is required to publicly print financial statements, summaries, etc, at least yearly and it is recommended every six months.
Not everything on the budget must be transparent. For example, salaries for both clergy and laity as well as benefits should be indicated in an overall way, but not broken down according to employee.
The budget is to be prepared by the Finance Council for the pastor's approval. There should be strict oversight by the Finance Council of the budget and any crisis in the budget that occurs. However, if the pastor chooses to by pass the finance council, he does so at his own peril and hopefully someone of the fiance council or parish staff should alert the diocese if there appears to be breaking of diocesan financial policies.
In wrong doing, the buck stops with the pastor, but also proceeds to the finance office of the diocese and the bishop if there is inadequate oversight of the policies established by the diocese.
In redressing issues of mismanagement or reallocation of funds outside of the purview of the parish fiance council and or the pastor, the laity have a right to be heard according to what the bishop allows or determines.
Transparency is important when it comes to finances and any mismanagement of monies or failure to follow parish and diocesan policy.
My own experience of being a pastor for 20 years now is that the parish has a right and should know what the parish budget is, and they should have a year-end detail of how the budget operated.
They should know how much is in savings, what is borrowed and how the money is spent. If there is a major reallocation of funds, that should be made transparent.
When issues of operating in the "red" occur the parish should be alerted as well as the diocese. Sometimes money must be borrowed to cover normal parish expenses when income does not match what is spent. This however, should always be done in consultation with the diocese and the parish should know what is happening.
The parish should know weekly what the Sunday offertory collection is.
The Diocese also publishes annually an audit for the laity to review.
Today we hear the laity threaten to hold contributions from the parish or diocese if there isn't financial transparency. If this is to move a wrong situation into the arena of what diocesan policy is, it can be an effective tool. If, however, it is born of a desire to be more like our Protestant congregationalist friends and believers, it is wrong-headed and manipulative.
There is a great deal of flexibilty in Church law concerning giving to the Church. Certainly the Biblical teaching of a tithe is seen as a "minimalistic approach to giving." Jesus calls for maximum giving and following of the Law.
Canon law simply states that Catholics must support the Church.
Catholic Stewardship is developing a noble way of encouraging people to give of their time, talent and treasure. But these are suggestions not mandates and require conversion of heart.
For Stewardship parish, transparency is paramount or stewardship will fail.
When problems arise in the parish with the finances, transparency is paramount also!
11 comments:
“But if you … rely upon the law and boast of your relation to God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed in the law, and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth - you then who teach others, will you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?” Romans 2: 17-21
FACT: As many of our Bishops and clergy have learned over the past 10 years, it sometimes takes a horror of abuse before wrong-doing is uncovered, but lies and cover-ups eventually are exposed. And even the most easily duped Joe-in-the-pew will will eventually react, with his checkbook and/or his shoes.
“But if you … rely upon the law and boast of your relation to God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed in the law, and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth - you then who teach others, will you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?” Romans 2:17-21
That sounds so shrill! I've known a parish that rallied together and gave more in light of a major embezzlement of more than $400,000 in the 1990's. Today that parish is flourishing and there was little divisiveness from the laity of that parish who had an agenda of reform that did not match what the bishop was doing. There are many approaches to wrong doing. I prefer the Catholic way!
Yes, "shrill" is how Jesus often sounded addressing the Pharisees...
The Catholic Way is the way of Jesus--they way of Truth and Light in the darkness, the way of "Eucharistic Principles" (Fr. Emmerich Vogt).
You forget your Catholic teaching evidently. Holy Mother Church nor any of the clergy or laity Pharisees. She is the body of Christ and His spotless Bride. Yes, it is shrill to attribute to Jesus negative comments about those whom He has chosen to be a part of His redeemed community through Holy Baptism which He Himself accomplishes through the sacramental aspects of its celebration. He also calls men to be deacons, priests and bishops. He imbues them with his authority. Unlike the Pharisee who saw and spoke to Jesus Christ, but nonetheless rejected Him, which led to Jesus not shrill but very wise words of condemnation of them,we cannot say the same thing about those God has called and who have responded to be His priests and bishops. As well, need I remind you, that Jesus charged the religious people of Judaism to listen to what they taught but not to follow their example if they did not live according to what they taught. Again, I recommend a less shrill and more authentic Catholic approach to our faith, to sin, to scandal and the support of the Church. I see that lacking in your responses thus far and a gross misunderstanding of the nature of Christ's Church!
Well, as my God-son, a seminarian (who is right now in an intensive summer course of Latin to be used for celebrating the EF Mass) told me at Christmas dinner: "You are going to be so amazed by the new generation of priests. They are a very different breed and the Church is going to be made so much better because of them."
One of the reasons I still tithe is hope he instills for the future of my beloved Church. But there are moments of doubt... moments when all I can do is pray for all of us ignorant sinners, and continue to remain an authentic Catholic.
God bless you, Father
Ave Verum
Thank you Ave Verum, as Catholics we must always be hopeful that's what I love the most about being Catholic today, we need so much hope!!!!
This is going to sound strange, but I think the new priests could be made even better, if in addition to the crash course in Latin, is if they woke each morning to run or walk 3 miles, do 200 push ups, and balance their cheque book each night. Raising a garden would be an excellent addition as well. And learn music.
Our Father gave us so much. Developing each makes you appreciate the other.
rcg
FRajm. Thank you for your fairly balanced treatment of transparency and its virtues. It almost makes me want to parrott "My Fair Lady," and opine, "I think he's got it."
Gotta watch out for those waacally would-be "Congregationalists" who insist upon calling a spade a spade.
From Fr. McD: And therein lies the rub--the manner of calling a spade a spade. Martin Luther was right on many counts but his name calling, oh I mean calling a spade a spade was quite divisive and destructive.you'd think the name callers would have learned a new and more constructive form of helping! Come to think of it calling a spade a spade is the Protestant way--hmm...
You probably excelled at dodge ball in your previous youth.
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