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	Must Read: Cardinal and Bishop Discuss Church Problems Voice from the Desert May 17, 2008 http://reform-network.net/?p=1683 This fictional account of a meeting between a high-ranking Cardinal [Eminence] from Rome and a top-ranking bishop [TRB] of the U.S. was written by my friend Dom Tomasso. * * * TRB: Your Eminence, what an honor it is to have you visit us here in the Southwest. (I wonder what he's looking for). Eminence: Thank you, Bishop. I just regret that I didn't visit you years ago. Maybe we could have saved ourselves a great deal of money and embarrassment. TRB: Do you have a message for me from the Pope, your Eminence? Eminence: Well, not directly. (If I told him how upset the Pope is with how things are going here in the U.S, it's hard to know how he would react). One of my reasons for visiting, Bishop, is to find out what actions you are taking to resolve this problem involving abusive priests. The bishops have used very, very poor judgment. Making all kinds of mistakes. It is taking so long to resolve, not to mention the billions of dollars that are being lost by the Catholic Church. When will it stop? TRB: You're absolutely right, your Eminence but we sort of inherited this problem over decades (as if he didn't know), and we tried to keep it contained but somehow the media got hold of it in Boston. After the Cardinal Law mess, the roof fell in. We have been sending out letters to all our dioceses instructing them as to how they should respond to difficult parishioners and the news media, when they bring up the abuse crises. We suggest that they point out that only a small percentage of our priests have been involved compared to public school teachers and other religious organizations. We also point out that no mention should be made of the over 11,000 allegations that have been made or the multiple charges against a single priest before corrective action was taken. That, your Eminence, was very, very difficult to explain. When so many abuse cases popped up all over the country, it became impossible for us to take the abuse cases to court to determine financial settlements without implicating over one hundred Bishops. You know, we had to protect them, at all costs. Where would we have been if the judges sent a number of them to prison? What a mess that would have made, your Eminence. Eminence: Yes, yes, I know Bishop, but when will it stop? We are getting a lot of mail at the Vatican, clamoring for a change in the people here that are responsible for this costly, terrible situation. TRB: Are you getting a lot of mail from our priests, your Eminence? Eminence: No, Bishop, we have not received very many letters from your priests to concern the Pope. TRB: I'm sure that the priests do not feel comfortable getting involved or taking sides, your Eminence. If a large number of them did take sides with the trouble-making groups such as SNAP, VOTF, or whatever, it would cripple the bishops' effectiveness and then all hell would break loose. Pardon my choice of words, your Eminence. You know that they have taken a vow of obedience to their diocesan bishops and very, very few have ever mentioned how difficult their life has been since the Boston affair. Eminence: I can just imagine bishop. TRB: (I wonder if he can.) Eminence: Just tell me, Bishop, that you are doing your best to put an end to all this. We have to move on. We have other matters that need our attention and this mess is not helping one bit. TRB: Yes, your Eminence, we have put into motion a plan that will resolve this problem, but unfortunately it will take time. Eminence: Please tell me, Bishop, what is this plan. TRB: Well, your Eminence, we have had a large number of parishes incorporate. We will see to it that every parish possible is incorporated. Each parish will then be responsible for the control and management of their own parish property. Eminence: Do you mean, Bishop, that the property will belong to the parishioners? TRB: No, your Eminence. It will belong to the parish Corporation that will be formed by each parish and the members of the Corporation will consist of: the pastor of the parish, the diocesan Vicar General, the diocesan Bishop and two members of the parish, who are approved by the bishop. So that there will not be any complications, the two lay persons on the Board of Directors will not be eligible to vote. So you see, your Eminence, the diocese still really controls everything. Besides, all the deeds to church properties will be held by the bishops. Therefore, since the parishes are incorporated, the dioceses cannot be held responsible for an abusive priest or employee of that parish that has done something that is punishable by law. (I hope he doesn't ask, if it involves a priest, will the parish or diocese be responsible, since the priest is assigned by the bishop.) Eminence: Very well thought out, Bishop. (I just can't wait until this passes and that the media finds something else to write about.) We must pray that all those articles that have been written about all that money being stolen from our Sunday collections doesn't flare up again. That would be another crises we'd have to face. I wouldn't want Rome to start receiving a flood of letters about your security system, since it was not made mandatory. TRB: Yes, your Eminence. I should also point out, your Eminence, that as a result of all the money and Church property that the financial settlements has cost us, we have put into motion large fund drives in a number of dioceses to replenish the money we have used. Fortunately, with the help of our wealthy, prominent members of a community, your Eminence, the bishops have no problem finding creditable, Co- Chair persons for the fund drives, which have proven to be very successful. Eminence: That reminds me, Bishop, about the remark made by one of your bishops, a prominent member of the U.S. Conference, that the amount of money stolen from the Sunday Collections was miniscule compared to the billions donated yearly to the Church. TRB: A very unfortunate choice of words. Very unfortunate. Yes, your Eminence, that was brought to his attention, I assure you. But you realize how delicate we had to be, one bishop criticizing another bishop. Eminence: I wish I could spend more time with you, Bishop, but this uprising we are having with women being ordained as priests and this rogue priest in a city called Saint Louis, of all names, have been giving the Vatican headaches. To think that he is Polish and was ordained by a Polish Pope. You people have got to find solutions that do not require money. There may come a time when raising money may become a problem and then how are we to maintain control. TRB: You're right, your Eminence. Eminence: There have been a large number of sleepless nights at the Vatican as a result of the abusive priests' situation and the very large financial settlements that are being made. Not to mention the attitude you bishops have about the large amount of money disappearing from the Sunday collections. There is a serious problem which I believe started as far back as when priests were ordained and I'm going to run it by His Holiness. It appears that too many of us have forgotten the day we were ordained. We all automatically received the faith, trust and respect of our Catholic followers, without reservations. In return, we were responsible to go forth and prove we were deserving. Too many of us have failed to do so, myself included, Bishop. Then, there was one other very important thing we didn't realize, and that was, that being ordained did not automatically make us financial geniuses. We have no idea what it is to earn money. I believe we all need to attend a refresher course to remind us we are supposed to be serving our people and not costing the Church billions of dollars. I realize what was at stake, we had to protect our bishops, but we must learn by our mistakes. If we do not learn by our mistakes, we will have to be accountable for them no matter what the cost. Do you agree, Bishop? TRB: Yes ,yes, your Eminence. (I wonder if he really believes that.) Are you leaving now, your Eminence (I hope). Eminence: Yes, I wish I could stay longer bishop (thank God I can leave whenever I want to) but there is so much that has to be done at the Vatican, Afternote from the author: After reading this article, did you find it believable, unbelievable, scandalous, or just amusing? Remember, it's fictional. In any event, promise that you will not mention this article to any Catholic. It may force that person to think, or, God forbid, ask questions. Our bishops and pastors would not be comfortable trying to explain or justify some (no, most) of their actions. Did I say that the lay people on the Board of Directors are not eligible to vote on matters? Oh well, that doesn't matter, or does it?
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