BishopAccountability.org
	Q & A: Church Life Will Not Be Affected Des Moines Register [Davenport IA] October 11, 2006 http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061011/LIFE05/610110371/1045/LIFE05 Q. What affect will the bankruptcy filing have on how many churches the diocese operates or on the number of Masses that are celebrated there? A. None. The day-to-day operations of the parishes will go on without interruption. Q. How will bankruptcy affect my donations that I leave in the collection plate at my Catholic church? Would those get siphoned away to pay for legal expenses or attorney fees? A. After the diocese files for bankruptcy, the monthly contributions to the Bishop's Appeal will go to the operation and good works of the diocese, just as before. Q. What about church "assets?" Will the land, churches or chancery offices that are part of the diocese have to be sold? What about artwork or other church artifacts being sold to satisfy the bankruptcy court? A. The only property the diocese owns is the chancery in Davenport and an acreage in southwest Davenport, according to Rand Wonio, diocesan attorney. Those properties would be part of the bankruptcy estate and could be sold to satisfy claims against the diocese. Q. What about St. Ambrose University in Davenport? Would bankruptcy affect this Catholic college? A. St. Ambrose University is a free-standing Catholic university. It is not owned by the diocese, "never has been, never will be," Wonio said. Bishop William Franklin is a member of the college's board of directors, but it is a position of title only. Q. Will bankruptcy affect the pensions that retired priests and nuns in the diocese receive? A. No. Under federal law, pensions cannot be taken to satisfy a court judgment. The Priest Aid Society is a separate legal entity.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.