Friday, December 22, 2006
THEFT OF THE COLLECTION MONEY
New Oxford Review provides a link to this story:
Sacred Heart parishioners and residents of Bath, Pa., were shocked last month when Elizabeth Fields, mayor of the tiny borough, was charged with stealing about $10,000 from the church’s Sunday collections. Fields was secretly videotaped in the parish rectory as she allegedly altered the collection tally sheets so the funds she pocketed would not be seen as a shortfall.
The community’s stunned reaction is typical, say experts, but theft at the parish and diocesan level is hardly surprising. In fact, it’s the norm.
A whopping 85 percent of U.S. dioceses have detected embezzlement over the past five years, according to Villanova University researchers. “No question about it, it’s a large number,” said Charles Zech, director of the school’s Center for the Study of Church Management and coauthor of the 15-page paper, “Internal Financial Controls in the U.S. Catholic Church,” that details the findings.
Continue reading...
Considering the example set by our bishops, it shouldn't surprise us that others in the parishes are not being honest. I have no corroboration, but the article indicates the bishops are addressing it, which must mean there is a problem.
