Boston, Mass., Jan 25, 2006 / 22:00 pm
Non-Catholic religious leaders in Massachusetts have sided with the Archdiocese of Boston against a state bill that would require religious denominations and congregations to publicly disclose their finances and real estate holdings.
Religious leaders said they understand why Catholic laypeople may be frustrated with archdiocesan leadership and want them to disclose their finances, but said people need to work within their own denomination and not look to the government to resolve their internal issues, reported the Boston Globe.
The religious leaders vowed to fight this bill in the Legislature and, if necessary, in the courts. The Episcopal Church, for example, said it would sue to overturn the law on constitutional grounds.
''There are nothing but good intentions behind this measure, and there is sympathy for the problems that people are trying to address. But the bill doesn't address the problems,” Andrew Tarsy, regional director of the Jewish Anti-Defamation League, told the Globe.