Local Diocese to Make Fundraising Push, by Erik Loney, KXLY, April 26, 2007

Local Diocese to Make Fundraising Push

By Erik Loney
KXLY
April 26, 2007

http://www.kxly.com/news/?sect_rank=2§ion_id=560&story_id=10525

Spokane — In an effort to pay off numerous expenses, the Catholic churches in the Spokane area will be relying on fundraising and church members to help out.

Starting in May, local catholic churches will take steps to raise more than $10 million to pay bankruptcy, attorney fees and victims of priest sexual abuse.

This fundraising campaign is being called, "From Justice to Healing and Renewal," and the church hopes that people will step forward to help out their institutions.

In an effort to pay off numrous expenses before October, local parishes will begin looking to church members for funds.
Photo by The KXLY4

Parishes have less than six months to raise the money, and any shortfalls will be covered by loans against their churches.

The songs and prayers at local catholic churches will be included as a new plea for help, and priests will begin asking their parishioners for money to pay for the sins of the past.

Members of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes will be expected to contribute $472,000 to end the diocese sex abuse scandal.

"We'd like to raise the entire 10 million by October 1st," said Bob Hailey, Co Chairman Association of Parishes.

Hailey is helping spearhead the fundraising campaign which will start in the middle of May, when the 25,000 catholic households in eastern Washington receive a letter from Bishop William Skylstad asking them to pay $10 million of the $48 million bankruptcy settlement.

"We think a lot of people will want to give to help the victims," said Hailey. "Others will want to give because it does put a terminating to this bankruptcy it really does put closure on this sad chapter."

Each parish is responsible for contributing the equivalent of a year's worth of donations. This will amount to about $472,000 for members of Spokane's St. Augustine, and $548,000 for Saint Al's.

The churches will get a loan for any money not raised by October 1st, 2007 and then those loans will be paid off in the next five to 10 years. If any loans default, it could mean foreclosure on the parishes property.

"I'd be really surprised to see any loans default," Hailey said. "I just see people of this diocese will pull together and make it work."

Hailey says he's heard little opposition from people in the pews, and he said they will work to convince people giving is the right thing to do.

"It really is frustrating at some level, on the other hand people realize if we don't do it who will?" said Hailey.

Many details, such as the classification of loans to be given to individual churches or will they all go in together, must still be worked out.

Even though this fundraising push has not started, there is still some hope that it will work out as the Sacred Heart parish in Pullman has already received 80% of their goal of $250, 000.