May 16, 2007

The sell-off is underway

Today's issue of the Los Angeles Times reports (click on this post's title) that Cardinal Roger Mahony says he is going to sell off Archdiocesan property to pay off some of the clergy sex-abuse and hierarchy-coverup lawsuits.

The sell-off will start with the Archdiocese's relatively new headquarters on Wilshire Boulevard. Not with the Cathedral.

Cardinal Mahony has put a statement about his sell-off on the Archdiocesan website at
http://www.la-archdiocese.org/news/story.php?newsid=885

Cardinal Mahony says his Archdiocese will "re-evaluate some of the services and ministries it provides to parishes." He claims the sales will not affect "essential ministries" of parishes.

At least that will not affect Archdiocesan pro-life services, and services to keep Catholics from defecting to the sects -- because you have to look long and hard to find such services already.

Cardinal Mahony also says this:

"Some properties are held for future parishes, future schools, and similar ministry purposes. Our preference would be to retain all of those properties. But we have no other way to raise our share of money for coming settlements except through such sales."

Cardinal Mahony had said in the past that he would not sell off parishes. Now we find out that that did not mean not selling off future parishes.

He also says he will not sell parishes and parish schools to fund these settlements. What about future settlements or judgments?

The Cardinal says he has a working group "to identify possible eligible properties and to rank them according to use and value" -- 50 so far. He adds, "Other possible properties that could be sold are being studied."

We must hope and pray that the Cardinal will never sell off our churches, parishes and schools.

When he said he was closing St. John's Seminary College, the Cardinal called that "a positive development." Please, Your Eminence, stop giving us all these positive developments!

7 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

Hi Quintero,

You seem to have a somewhat low opinion of things in the L.A. area. I'm curious, do you know of any diocese or religious orders out there with a reputation for Orthodoxy?

I am discerning a vocation to the priesthood, and for a variety of reasons I am feeling the call out West.

Thanks,
Paul
Light Inaccessible

12:44 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dioceses known for faithfulness? The number is growing but the left coast is still a problem area. Think of Phoenix, Denver, Lincoln and now even Saginaw! (just to mention a few)

peace---

8:09 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Paul, check out the Norbertines of St. Michael's Abbey. They are located in Orange County (south of L.A.). Their website is this: www.abbeynews.com

They are an active-contemplative community and are known for their orthodoxy, faithfulness to the Magisterium, retaining the rich traditions of the Church (Latin, Gregorian chant), and love for the Eucharist & Mary. They also wear the full habit. They have many many vocations, and are overflowing with them. I will pray for your discernment process that God's will may be done for you.

12:13 PM  
Blogger Quintero said...

Dear Paul,

Thank you for checking in! May everyone who visits here pray for you and your discernment!

To Anonymous 8:09 a.m.'s good list of Denver, Lincoln and Phoenix, dioceses out west that right now have good bishops, I would add Colorado Springs and Portland.

I would very much echo Mark's praise of the Norbertines!

I hope other commenters will add their thoughts here for you. Keep checking in here. God bless you!

12:27 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Thank you all for your help! I will look into your suggestions.

Paul
Light Inaccessible

12:17 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Folks! Let me call your attention to this book. It'a a study by the Lincare Institute, within the the Catholic Medical Association, titled After Asceticism: Sex, Prayer and Deviant Priests. Unfortunately, it's been ignored by the Old Media. But, if you love Christ and His Church, you can't beat the explanation it offers for the current sex abuse scandal.

Truly, it's a book that every well-informed Catholic should read and consider. I would especially recommend it to those who are serious about their vocation, whatever one of the three that may be: Holy Orders, Holy matrimony, or committed single person.

And if the people at the helm of power of our Holy Church were to read it, they might drop their "compassion uberalis" attitude and practice a little discernment themselves as to whom to allow into our seminaries and religous orders.

Perhaps If Cardinal Mahony would have fomented piety, maybe, just maybe, Hiz Eminence wouldn't have sell land holdings of the Church to pay for the errors of deviant and harmful priests.

10:06 PM  
Blogger Quintero said...

Dear MVH,

Thank you very much for the link. Sounds as if they're on to something -- that seminaries' sticking with an emphasis on holiness instead of adopting trendy psychobabble would've prevented a lot of trouble.

12:15 PM  

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