BishopAccountability.org
	Murdoch Donation to Papal Visit under Spotlight The Tablet July 15, 2011 http://www.thetablet.co.uk/latest-news.php The Church is being advised to examine donations with greater care after its acceptance of a contribution from the Murdoch family towards the costs of the Papal visit to Britain last September. James Murdoch, who is in charge of his father Rupert Murdoch's media empire in Europe and Asia, is understood to have given a donation believed to be at least ?100,000. On the day that Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass in Westminster Cathedral, Mr Murdoch, and other major donors towards the visit's costs, were introduced to the Pope in Archbishop's House. However, after revelations of phone-hacking at the News of the World and allegations of unethical journalistic practices at other titles owned by Rupert Murdoch's News International, Bishop Kieran Conry of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton said: "We'll have to be careful in the future about that particular source of money," Bishop Conry said. "A discussion needs to take place. It is a public scandal and everyone knows Murdoch's empire is tainted by these revelations." A spokesman for the bishops' conference said the "donation was given and accepted in good faith at the time". He added that the fundraising committee of the Catholic Trust for England and Wales is responsible for ensuring "appropriate due diligence research is undertaken to ensure that the Church does not knowingly accept any donations where there is a question of illegality or serious impropriety regarding the donor".
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