San Diego Diocese in need of a financial miracle

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San Diego, Calif., Oct 17, 2007 / 10:04 am (CNA).- The financial situation in the Diocese of San Diego is looking grim in the wake of the $198 million sexual abuse settlement. Hoping to prevent the sale of the diocesan headquarters and seminary, Bishop Robert Brom has launched a fundraising campaign called “Embracing Our Mission.”

“I need your help to cover the expense we incurred recently through compassionate outreach to our brothers and sisters who suffered sexual abuse within the family of the church,” Bishop Brom wrote in a letter that will be sent to every member of the diocese.

If the “Embracing Our Mission” campaign is not successful, Brom said the diocese has only two other properties that could be sold – its headquarters in Bay Park and St. Francis Seminary in Linda Vista.

The appeal is not limited to just the laity. Priests are being asked to contribute the equivalent of one of their monthly salary or $1,535 to help reach the $25 million needed.

The idea for priests to contribute actually came from the clergy of the diocese. Fr. Charles Fuld, pastor of Ascension Church in San Diego, said he wrote a “very enthusiastic” letter urging people to contribute.

This past Sunday, Fr. Fuld also preached about donating. After preaching about the healing of the ten lepers, he said: 'Our bishop is asking for a miracle now, too. He'd like to save these final remaining properties because they are so vital for doing the work of the diocese.' ”

Fuld added: “My point is, of course, we are all one church. We need to be there for each other. We need to help each other, in good times and bad.”

Comments: 4

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Bob
San Diego, CA 10/20/2007 10:59 AM EST

Sell the Bay Park HQ facilities and property; clearly it only serves to mismanage the diocese. Sell the Linda Vista Seminary. Clearly it fails in its mission to ALWAYS produce moral, honest, competent, caring and capable clergy. Sell the non-service properties (mentioned earlier) that seem to be swept under the rug while the requests for bailout are b3eing made. THEN, if the capital available is still insufficient to pay off the $50 million higher-than-necessary settlement (remember Brom could have settled at $150 million before filing bankruptcy)... ONLY the will the Catholics come through as they always have and will, to pay for the mistakes of this Executive who should be fired by the Pope if he continues to refuse to resign for malpractice and malfeasance in his duties as a good shepherd.

Published by: James Woehlke
Poughkeepsie, NY, USA 10/18/2007 07:15 AM EST

It would be helpful to provide an address for the San Diego diocese for those wanting to make a contribution.

We now seem to be on the downside of the priest sex scandal and my sense is that the bishops universally recognize the Serious Error of what I'll euphamistically call their poor management decisions. The bishops seem duly chastised and repentent (which is important, if they are to regain the trust of their flocks after leading them smack into the wolves' den).

I plan to chip in $50 and bet manyh others would too.

Published by: Catherine Mary Henry
Havertown, Pennsylvania USA 10/17/2007 04:33 PM EST

What chutzpah!

When one thinks of places like the Archdiocese of Los Angeles which has fought mercilessly against victim-survivors of clergy sexual abuse to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars it is hard to work up much sympathy.

I have no doubt that the San Diego Diocese also spent big bucks on high priced lawyers and law firms along with PR people to trash groups of good catholics like Voice of the Faithful.

I would suggest taking out a loan from the Vatican.

Published by: Gabe
Cardiff by the Sea, CA, USA 10/17/2007 04:23 PM EST

Wow! The "miracle" here would be Brom someday acting like a true follower of Jesus. He does not need to ask the people for money. He could just sell the non-service property he has like apartment buildings, parking lots, and so on. Why should the people have to pay for the crimes the priests have committed? And, who sill monitor this money? He has shown that he can't do it - filing for bankruptcy and then revoking that filing, answering to any financial questions during the hearing with "I don't know." Why would anyone give him money to handle? Even now he is trying to re-victimize the victims. What he is insinuating is that if the victims hadn't settled for this amount, the people wouldn't have to pay or possibly lose some buildings. The worst, though, is that in his letter he actually talks about his "compassionate outreach" to the victims. I guess that means stalling the cases for years, and then the day before they are scheduled to go to court, declaring bankruptcy to make sure they don't get there. All I can say to him is I am sure glad I won't be with him when he comes face-to-face with God!!

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