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Archbishop Myers receives 22K signatures calling for sale of his retirement home
By Erin O'neill
As Barbara Grieco walked toward Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark today for Palm Sunday mass, she stopped to add her name to a petition calling on Archbishop John J. Myers to sell the large home in Hunterdon County where he plans to retire. "Our Archbishop should really follow the Pope's example by leading a simple life," Grieco, a Montclair resident, said. "The money that's going to this mansion, there are a lot of programs that could use the money." Faithful America, a national Christian group based in Washington, D.C., collected online signatures from more than 22,000 people who are critical of Myers for building a 3,000-square-foot addition on a 4,500-square-foot home in Franklin Township. About a dozen parishioners and clergy sex abuse victims today had hoped to deliver the signatures directly to Myers after noon mass at the Ridge Street church. Myers, who presided over the mass, did not meet with the group. Rather, they delivered the signatures to Myers' spokesman, Jim Goodness. "We'd like see the money that's been used to put an addition of nearly a half million dollars on to his mansion used for a better cause: feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless," said Kevin Davitt, a parishioner with St. Catherine Church in Glen Rock. The Star-Ledger reported in February that the addition on the home that Myers has been using as a weekend retreat will cost at least $500,000. Goodness said the diocese plans to review the petition. "We have to go through this booklet and see exactly what it says and who the people are who are making this request," he said. A note to Myers on the first page of the booklet said, "Archbishop Myers, you don't need a 7,500-square-foot house for your retirement. Please start heeding Pope Francis's admonitions, and put being a good pastor for New Jersey Catholics ahead of building an opulent lifestyle for yourself." Goodness said the construction on the home is being financed by the sale of another property and private donations. "There are no plans to make any changes in the construction and the ultimate use of the property as a retirement residence for Archbishop Myers when he retires in two years," he said. Goodness said no money from parishioner funds or a fundraising effort called the "archbishop's annual appeal" are being used for the project. Still, parishioners questioned the decision to expand the home, as Pope Francis has pushed for a more simple church. "I'm very inspired by the new Pope. I think he's bridging a lot of divisions throughout the world and I want to support that," said Bernie Golden, a 62-year-old Park Ridge resident who normally attends St. Gabriel church in Saddle River. As he stood outside Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart today, Golden said he was "absolutely outraged" when he learned of the addition to Myers' future retirement home. He said it was counter to the "trend that we're moving in." Other parishioners pointed to Atlanta’s archbishop, Wilton Gregory, who said he would sell a 6,100-square-foot, $2.2 million home he built using church funds "He should take a page from the bishop in Atlanta," said Kevin Terrell, a 66-year-old Summit resident. Myers today blessed parishioners and shook their hands as they exited the church. He posed for photographs with some. Goodness said Myers was not available to take questions from reporters.
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