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	O'Malley Opens the Books Boston Globe April 21, 2006 http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles /2006/04/21/omalley_opens_the_books/ The release this week of detailed financial information on the assets of the Archdiocese of Boston should send a powerful message to loyal parishioners and disaffected Catholics alike that Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley has broken with the closed culture that degraded the church under his predecessor, Cardinal Bernard Law. The documents reveal much about collections, property, and the settlement resources related to the clergy sexual abuse crisis. But the greater revelation comes with the knowledge that an archdiocese once steeped in concealment now seems to be trying to lead the way in transparency. Many blazed this new trail of openness, and not all wore priestly garb. The victims of sexual abuse who found the courage to come forward deserve much praise for forcing the church to look at itself. Lay Catholics, for the most part, accepted the archdiocese's decision to close or consolidate dozens of parishes and parochial schools, but not before demanding the kind of financial accountability that any prudent donor needs to ensure that funds are not being wasted or diverted. The Legislature may have resoundingly rejected a bill sponsored by state Senator Marian Walsh that would have required religious entities to report financial information as a condition of their tax-exempt status. But she got the attention of O'Malley, who realized that it was no longer in the archdiocese's interest to keep such information under wraps. The cardinal is in the process of selecting a new leadership team, including a chancellor and development director. The appointment of a talented chancellor, who would oversee the day-to-day financial management of the archdiocese, takes on even greater significance because O'Malley's recent elevation to cardinal will likely require much travel. And an expanded role for the laity at all levels of the church should ensure the kind of ongoing accountability that inspires generosity and should help the archdiocese recover from its staggering $46 million deficit. The information disclosed this week does not reveal the salaries of the top five individual executives in the archdiocese, as is required of secular nonprofit groups. But John H. McCarthy, an O'Malley adviser and CPA, told Globe reporters and editors yesterday that such disclosures will be made in the future. Yesterday, the archdiocese also released disbursements to its top five vendors, a further sign of its willingness to play by rigorous rules of disclosure. At The Boston Globe yesterday, O'Malley promised that comprehensive financial disclosures will continue to be made every year. But there is no guarantee that future leaders of the archdiocese will honor this spirit of openness. Still, the red ink on the archdiocese's balance sheet shows what happens when they don't.
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