Bill would force church to disclose its finances
Boston, Masssachusetts --
The Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, still dealing with the fallout from the clergy abuse crisis and upheaval over church closings, faces a major battle on Beacon Hill this week as lawmakers push for an unprecedented measure to force the church to open its books to the public.
The legislation, authored by state Senator Marian Walsh and backed by 32 other lawmakers, is being considered at a time when the church faces deep skepticism and in some cases open hostility from politicians on Beacon Hill and at City Hall. Some lawmakers who champion the bill, which will be brought up at a hearing Wednesday, previously stood side by side with church leaders on policy issues like abortion.
The legislation, which would require all religious organizations to file annual financial reports and a list of real estate holdings with the attorney general's charities division, is opposed by the Catholic Church and major mainline Protestant denominations. It is being watched as a test of how much clout the archdiocese still retains with the state's political establishment.
Walsh, a West Roxbury Democrat, began exploring the idea for the bill when she heard from lay Catholics, who wanted more information about the financial health and holdings of the archdiocese as it settled civil suits and launched a sweeping reconfiguration of parishes. She said as perhaps the largest charity in the state, the Catholic Church should be subject to the same disclosure requirements as other nonprofits.
Read the article at The Boston Globe Dated August 8, 2005
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The Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, still dealing with the fallout from the clergy abuse crisis and upheaval over church closings, faces a major battle on Beacon Hill this week as lawmakers push for an unprecedented measure to force the church to open its books to the public.
The legislation, authored by state Senator Marian Walsh and backed by 32 other lawmakers, is being considered at a time when the church faces deep skepticism and in some cases open hostility from politicians on Beacon Hill and at City Hall. Some lawmakers who champion the bill, which will be brought up at a hearing Wednesday, previously stood side by side with church leaders on policy issues like abortion.
The legislation, which would require all religious organizations to file annual financial reports and a list of real estate holdings with the attorney general's charities division, is opposed by the Catholic Church and major mainline Protestant denominations. It is being watched as a test of how much clout the archdiocese still retains with the state's political establishment.
Walsh, a West Roxbury Democrat, began exploring the idea for the bill when she heard from lay Catholics, who wanted more information about the financial health and holdings of the archdiocese as it settled civil suits and launched a sweeping reconfiguration of parishes. She said as perhaps the largest charity in the state, the Catholic Church should be subject to the same disclosure requirements as other nonprofits.
Read the article at The Boston Globe Dated August 8, 2005
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