The Connecticut media, such as THE ADVOCATE, indicate St. John's Roman Catholic Church in Darien, Connecticut wants to "move on." But can it?
It seems to face unique challenges in "moving on," especially in the critical area of fund-raising, with a lawsuit facing it which a state Superior Judge didn't dismiss, and with the story becoming a global one? I had requested an interview with Diocese of Bridgeport Spokesperson Dr. Joseph McAleer [jmcaleer@diopt.org]. Even though I have been following this saga for years, Dr. McAleer hasn't responded to me.
Last Saturday St. John's former pastor Rev Michael Jude Fay died in the Butner, North Carolina federal facility of cancer. He had pleaded guilty to embezzling $1.3 million from church funds. As THE NEW YORK TIMES had covered in detail, Fay used much of that for his high-living, hard-partying in gay circles.
His death and his crime resonated beyond CT media. That's because Ponzi-scheme master Bernard Madoff is also a prisoner at Butner [the dying fields] and, it's rumored, is also dying of cancer. Commentary which linked the two miscreants, including that on my blogs [the other here], received prominent placement in media such as THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.
In fund-raising in these frugal times - sometimes called the era of the private label - those being approached for contributions need concrete assurances that their money will be properly accounted for and subject to all the traditional checks and balances which are supposed to prevent and/or quickly detect theft. THE ECONOMIST predicts most of us will remain with our wary ways when dealing with money. That's likely to change everything, including the already difficult job of encouraging members of St. John's to support not only their particular parish St. John's but the Diocese of Bridgeport.
How do the front lines in fund-raising plan to reassure donors of accountability, of prudent choices in spending, and in cost-efficiency? For the 2009 Appeal, Jan and Bob Dilenschneider, members of St. John's, are the Chair-Couple. In their article in FAIRFIELD COUNTY CATHOLIC, the Dilenscheiders note, "For the first time, many of us are experiencing chronic anxiety about the future. In all these years, we've never seen such a desperate situation, and all of us have to step forward."
The need is there and it's poignant. However, before reasonable human beings open their hearts and pocketbooks, we need to know the facts about how much money is collected, from whom, what accounting system is used, which auditor is contracted, how is the money spent, and what percentage of that is plowed into administration overhead?
Full Disclosure: About five years ago I did communications consulting for the Diocese of Bridgeport and until 2Q freelance writing for The Dilenschneider Group, founded by Bob Dilenschneider. I practiced Catholicism until I was 24 years old. Currently I study Buddhism.
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