Catholic donors take wait-and-see attitude
Edward Ricci was sickened as he watched his bishop, the Most Rev. Anthony O’Connell, resign in March from the Diocese of Palm Beach, Fla., after admitting to sexual misconduct years earlier in another state. But Ricci is no ordinary parishioner venting his anger in cyberspace.
He is a major Catholic philanthropist, threatening to withhold his six-figure donation to his church unless the nation’s bishops agree to oust all errant clergy. Through his Web site, www.nopeds.org, he is urging other Catholics to join him, and some benefactors already have.
Outside of communities hardest hit by the crisis, church fund-raisers say most major donors have been slower to react. But some are now exploring whether they should bypass dioceses and give directly to Catholic social service agencies to ensure that their money is not used to settle molestation lawsuits, fund-raisers say.
“The mood is worrisome at the present time,” said Francis Butler, president of Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities.
“It is really a terrible atmosphere in which to raise money and people are increasingly wary of making major donations to dioceses that are facing judges and juries.”
Many bishops have promised parishioners none of their donations will be used to pay settlements to abuse victims. They also point to reforms including the removal of priests suspected of molestation and, in some areas, the opening of church files to prosecutors.
In the Palm Beach Diocese, Deacon Sam Barbaro insisted the church has been diligent about protecting children.
Still, donors are concerned.
Butler, whose agency is a Washington-based network of 48 family foundations that collectively gives Catholic institutions more than $200 million annually, said he knew of one Maryland donor who is withholding his annual gift because of the scandal. He would not give specifics.
The National Catholic Community Foundation, which helped direct about $1 million to Catholic agencies in the last year, said no donors have threatened to stop giving. But the Maryland foundation is helping philanthropists find alternatives to donating money to their bishop.
The goal is to ensure that Catholic good works are not hurt by the crisis, said Brady Schildknecht, a foundation spokesman.
“Some individuals are just adamantly opposed to giving money directly to a diocese, but they may be willing to establish a fund here,” Schildknecht said.
In Chicago, Catholic businessman Michael Tario has formed a committee threatening to redirect donations from churches to Catholic service agencies, Tario wants Cardinal Francis George to release abuse victims from confidentiality agreements and open church files to prosecutors.
Archdiocese Chancellor Jimmy Lago insisted the church has been working closely with civil authorities and has reviewed its records for any outstanding abuse claims.
“Our local church … is accountable to those faithful Catholics who have supported the church with their funds and their prayers, and places as its top priorities assistance to the victims of this devastating abuse,” Lago said in a statement.
In Boston, the local Catholic Charities agency says many of its grant requests have been rejected, and blames the scandal that began in January, when Cardinal Bernard Law acknowledged allowing a pedophile priest to move from parish to parish. Law is pressing ahead with a $300 million capital campaign, but has scaled back some fund-raising activities.
Shelley Borysiewicz, a spokeswoman for the national headquarters of Catholic Charities, said there has been no drop in donations in other states. But she said agency offices have been fielding calls from donors worried their money will be used for settlements.
Butler said philanthropists would be reassured if dioceses revealed the source of money used to pay the millions of dollars in legal settlements. He hopes the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will provide some of those financial details at their June meeting in Dallas.
Ricci said if the bishops do not adopt a zero-tolerance policy toward sex abuse at that event, he will start his financial boycott.
He’ll also invite other Catholics to participate by printing a protest statement from his Web site to put into Sunday collection plates instead of money.
“The laity knows the answer to the problem,” Ricci said. “The only question is whether the hierarchy has the moral courage to do the right thing.”
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On the Net:
Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities: http://www.fadica.org
National Catholic Community Foundation: http://www.nccfcommunity.org
Catholic Charities: http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: http://www.nccbuscc.org