If you didn’t read the first post by the Nabi, go here. You won’t want to miss this series on the Diocese of Wheeling Charleston and Bishop Bransfield. Sadly, there are many like him among our bishops and it’s high time someone called them out like the prophets of old!
Wisdom from the Nabi....
The Nabi sayeth, or actually asketh: Why the push, push, push for the Bishops’ Annual Sharing Appeal???
‘Twas the result initially of a discovery by a bishop back in the 70’s from out west that he could apply secular marketing principles to the Catholic Church organization. He launched his first annual appeal and struck gold! “Ah”, he thought, “If I do this year after year, I will increase the amount of each gold strike!”, and he did, and it did. Hence, the Diocesan annual appeals were born. Then when that bishop told the other bishops at their annual bishop’s meeting, the idea spread like wildfire. Now every diocese has an annual appeal. Isn’t that SPACIAL??!!
You may be thinking at this point, “Why would the diocese of Wheeling-Charleston with such huge reserve funds continue to have an Annual Catholic Sharing Appeal?”
The short answer is MONEY.
But there is another more unhealthy reason.....Do you remember the game children used to play as they plucked the petals from a daisy? If you were a little boy with a crush on a little girl, you would hold the daisy, and as you plucked one petal at a time you would whisper: Does she love me, does she love me not; Does she love me, does she love me not....and, of course, you hoped that the remaining petal was the one where you said joyfully, “SHE LOVES ME!!!”
For FORMER Bishop Bransfield, the annual appeal was a way of demonstrating loyalty AND bringing his FORMER flock into SUBMISSION. His motto of choice for his FORMER flock was “Pray, Pay and Obey.” The person with a narcissist personality demands total and complete submission from his subjects. Just ask his FORMER priests.
Wisdom from your humble and unworthy Nabi: Before you even think about donating another penny to the diocese, demand to see the balance of the Sarah Tracey Reserve Fund.....More to come....
The interesting thing to me is the fact each parish pays a weekly tax to the bishop which amounts to about 7 or 8% of each 1st collection.
ReplyDeleteMost people contribute to this 1st collection to a far greater extent than any other 2nd collection cause.
Add up the # of parishes in your own diocese and do the math. 7% of your parish times # parishes (some larger, maybe some smaller) times 4 weeks in average month and this is a large sum of money for the bishop's use seperate from his own parish contribution for his support.
With such weekly income from all of us there is no reason the Church can't address the corporal and spiritual needs of the needy in our midst.
This alone managed well could provide every bishop the share of our money he needs to cover his needs.
Bishop's Annual Appeal is being sold as the only tome the bishop gets any money from us. Not true. Stop it. It is a major source of corruption, secular projects, luxurious indulgence, and waste.
Our pastor tipped us to something a few years back when we decided to make an end-of-year contribution to help with some church building repairs. He told us if we wrote a specific purpose for the donation or "for parish needs" on the check, he did not have to give the Diocese their cut. We do that any time we make a special donation now.
ReplyDeleteThis is an excellent post, except for one typographical error. PETALS are plucked from a flower, not PEDALS.
ReplyDeleteBransfield also took churches away from priests that openly disagreed with him & had the nerve to stand up to him
ReplyDeleteAhhh. Good to know. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThis is true.
ReplyDeleteFrom belonging to St. Michael parish for many years, I've seen many newly ordained priests who have spent a couple of years with us as their first or second assignment. I've noticed that a number of them have "disappeared" along with some veteran priests. Some left the priesthood, others left the diocese. The remaining ones are pretty quiet about anything of substance. I've heard numerous priests say with relief that they are happy to be moved away from Wheeling to be farther away from scrutiny from those in the chancery.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the Holy Spirit is at work; at the same time I'm filled with a fear that the evil one's minions still have way too much power and influence. I can figure out who one of those mentioned in Nabi's pieces is, but I find it hard to know who among the clergy to trust.
Even now, there is a caginess and wariness with some lay people who work for the diocese. Many employees are people I know and trust, but they are not the ones who have access to information.