Religion and Law
A case for bringing the Catholic Church into the real world
On Friday, September 29, 2006, two Roman Catholic priests from St. Vincent Ferrer Church in Delray Beach, Florida were accused of stealing millions of dollars from their parish for gambling trips and other frivolities. While one priest, Monsignor John Skehan was apprehended, local police and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are tracking down his accomplice, Reverend Francis Guinan. This case coupled with the accusations of pedophilia and poor financial management over the last years makes a compelling case for bringing the Catholic Church into the world the rest of us live in.
The privileged place of religion in America has given leeway to the Catholic Church on how they deal with their finances, their public relations problems, and their role in American communities. Local and state governments have allowed Church leaders to police their own, depositing troublemakers from one diocese to another in order to protect themselves from bad press. As well, religious organizations like the Catholic Church are tax exempt, which is as much a nod to the political necessity of winning religious voters as a recognition of the Church’s not-for-profit status. However, the Church has done nothing but embarrass its faithful over the last decade and the gloves are off.
Several reforms are needed in order to bring the Church from protected status to just another organization in the tapestry of American society. First, the federal government needs to remove the Church’s tax exempt status. Like an adolescent with an allowance, the government needs to stop treating the Church with kid gloves and let it stand on its own to feet. As well, the federal government, in conjunction with state and local authorities, needs to put considerable efforts into going after priests who steal money from Church coffers. The Catholic Church has done a poor job of policing its own and does not deserve the protection of the federal government any longer.
