Minnesota Lay Group Protests Exclusion from Priests" Meeting on Finances

Catholic Culture
September 17, 2013

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=19080

A lay group pressing for change in the Minneapolis-St. Paul archdiocese is voicing disappointment at being excluded from a meeting in which Archbishop John Nienstedt will discuss finances with members of the archdiocesan clergy.

The Catholic Coalition for Church Reform asked the archbishop for an invitation to attend the Priest Finance Day, but received a negative response. Archbishop Nienstedt explained that the meeting was open only to priests.

The Catholic Coalition for Church Reform argued that since archdiocesan finances are based on contributions from the laity, lay representatives should be involved in financial planning. The group—which has no formal membership, but claims a mailing list of 3,000—plans to hold its own “synod” later this month to discuss reforms for the Church.