The CNN Belief Blog ran an article over the weekend about U.S. Archbishops living lives of grandeur in huge, million $ plus estates whilst their flocks struggle to put food on the family table.
It is found here:http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2014/08/us/american-archbishops-lavish-homes/?sr=fb080214lavishhomes2pInteractiveLink. This photo, published in the DallasMorningNews blog is one of a variety of less than modest domiciles lived in by ten Archbishops who apparently did not get the memo on lavish lifestyles from the Pope.
This house is the residence of Archbishop Joseph Myers, Newark, N.J. According to the report, the original $500,000 house is putting on an $800,000 addition of his weekend/retirement retreat. The new wing includes an exercise pool, hot tub, 3 fire places and a library. Yes, that’s the Newark, N.J. you’re familiar with.
Full disclosure: I’m either an atheist or agnostic and a”fallen away” Catholic, depending on mood. And, I spent a couple of years in the 70’s as member of the board of a group called the National Association of Laity attempting, with great futility, to assist in reform of the Catholic Church. One of our projects was to fly around the country meeting with Bishops, often in some of these residences, persuading them to open up their books to disclose the assets of their diocese to their flocks; we used various techniques devised by allied c.p.a.s and attorney’s to motivate those resisting our demands. It worked because for a brief period, all of the diocesan books were opened and reports published. Sadly, the local flocks, whom we thought would be really interested in the holdings of the Church, allowed those same books to close after a couple of years. We were wrong. No one gave a damn.
So, this article intrigued me. Once again, I don’t think anyone gives a damn.