EXAMINING FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY

Here’s Bishop Robert Vasa, speaking at the 2010 Inside Catholic Partnership Award Dinner on Thursday, September 16. on "Sacred Duties, Episcopal Ministry."

What has has to say about the US Conference of Catholic Bishops applies worldwide. “

The conference has been quite clear that it prepares pastoral documents and has no authority, on its own, to issue edicts or binding legislation. Since these pastoral documents lack legislative force, they are often couched in what could be described as softer or less rigoristic language. This is appropriate, because they are intended to be pastoral rather than legislative. One need only look at the difference between the documents of Vatican II and the Code of Canon Law. One is pastoral, while the other translates the intent of the pastoral document into concrete legislation. Legislation is up to the local bishop. The diocesan bishop has broad discretion in terms of legislative or disciplinary actions in his own diocese.

"Under canon law, the Catholic Church is not a universal church per se. Rather, there are local manifestations of the universal church in the form of dioceses. The bishop is the pastor of his diocese. It is important to note that he holds this post not by a papal delegation of authority, but by virtue of his being bishop ... Canon 391 states: "'It is for the diocesan bishop to govern the particular church entrusted to him with legislative, executive, and judicial power according to the norm of law ...'.

Canon Christopher Thomas, General Secretary of the Bishop’s Conference of England & Wales, in evidence to the IICSA Inquiry Child Migrants Hearing 18 July 2017

THIS IS PAGE #2 OF THE FINDINGS SECTION
	Conferring on parish piggy banks Catholic Bishops Conferences differ on accountability for Canon 1287.2 - as evidenced by their websites


	*"На што ідуць грошы з касцёльнай скарбонкі?* Where does the money go from the church piggy bank?" That's the Google translation of a 2013 document on the Belarus Conference website has to offer. Святары павінны прадстаўляць вернікам справаздачу з ахвяраванняў, якія яны здзяйсняюць на карысць Касцёла, згодна з нормамі, якія ўстанаўлівае партыкулярнае права (гл. канон 1287 § 2). They have a simple translation of the words and spirit of Canon 1287.2. "Priests must submit a report to the believers about the donations that they make for the good of the Church, according to the norms that are set in a separate law (see Canon 1287 § 2).” In the 2018/19 Survey the websites of about 60 bishops’ conferences worldwide were searched for signs of any references to Canon 1287.2. The ones below were revisited in May 2021. Their diversity of interpretations offer an overview on their thinking – though dioceses set their own norms. onferences ate limited in their role here. The definitive source is GCatholic. In 1965, the Vatican Council issued Christus Dominus, the Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church, with paragraph 38 being key. It starts: "An episcopal conference is, as it were, a council in which the bishops of a given nation or territory jointly exercise their pastoral office to promote the greater good which the Church offers mankind, especially through the forms and methods of the apostolate fittingly adapted to the circumstances of the age."
	Conferences have a valkue in setting overall polcies - the pandemic, for eample.
	CONFERENCES COVERING DIOCESES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
	Three Conferences cover the bishops of dioceses in the United Kingdom. They differ from the national and constitutional boundaries. England & Wales. But Wales is a devolved part. They include the Isle of Man and the Channel Isles, which are nither part of the UK or EU. Northern Ireland is also devolved. But the four dioceses are within the Irish Bishops Conference. This sits within the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community. It also has a place in the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences - which includes England & Wales and Scotland. The EWCCB gets its income.... dioceses provide about a third, thorugh an annual levy. None of the UK Conferences have a published policy. However, the representative of opne cobference. In 2007 they pubnsohed he rights and duties - but Canon 1287.2 did not appear. The only but found by Openbooks was from a representative of the catholic education service statistics for schools & ciolleges in England. Their main website is here. In Scotland, the Scottish Catholic Education Service. Their annual report for 2019 is here.
	CONFERENCES UNAMBIGUOUS ABOUT CANON 1287.2
	Italy is like Belarus. The wesbite shows a document listed in 2018 as L’AMMINISTRAZIONE DEI BENI DIOCESANI E PARROCCHIALI - the administration of diocesan and parish goods. It inlcudes IX - IL DOVERE DEL RENDICONTO Il Parroco è tenuto a rendere conto al Consiglio pastorale ed alla comunità parrocchiale dell’utilizzazione delle offerte ricevute dai fedeli (can. 1287, § 2). "The parish priest is obliged to account to the Pastoral Council and the parish community for the use of the offerings received from the faithful (can. 1287, § 2).” (Though dioceses such as Patti set their own norms.) Portugal's wesbite Ecclesia has its Normas Gerais das Associações de Fiéis: General Standards of Faithful Associations dated May 2008, and seen in 2021 and 2022. “Os administradores devem informar os fiéis, oportunamente, sobre o destino dos bens oferecidos e do cumprimento das condições e encargos modais (cf. cân. 1287, § 2)”

	A CONFERENCE SHIFTING THE DUTY TO 'THE PARISH'
	The Conference shows a drift away from the original one-person accountability inherent in Canon 1287.2. “Les Biens des Paroisses et le Diocèse“ places the duty on the parish finance council. “In accordance with the provisions of Canon 1287 §2, this council is also obliged to report to the faithful on the use of the offerings they have made.” This seems to apply at diocesan (eg Avignon, Cambrai, Arras) and at parish level. Montredon parish website currently quotes the official text of Marseille Archdiocese – but seeing an opportunity to think much wider than just the finances. “Once a year in accordance with canon 1287, under the vigilance of the parish priest, the [Parish Council for Economic Affairs] will report to the faithful on the offerings they have made, on the management of the parish, on the state of their participation in the life of the whole Church, parish needs, duties incumbent on the parish, and plans for its future.”

	THE UNITED STATES ON THE ACCOUNTABILITY
Here’s Bishop Robert Vasa, speaking at the 2010 Inside Catholic Partnership Award Dinner on Thursday, September 16. on "Sacred Duties, Episcopal Ministry." What has has to say about the US Conference of Catholic Bishops applies worldwide. “ The conference has been quite clear that it prepares pastoral documents and has no authority, on its own, to issue edicts or binding legislation. Since these pastoral documents lack legislative force, they are often couched in what could be described as softer or less rigoristic language. This is appropriate, because they are intended to be pastoral rather than legislative. One need only look at the difference between the documents of Vatican II and the Code of Canon Law. One is pastoral, while the other translates the intent of the pastoral document into concrete legislation. Legislation is up to the local bishop. The diocesan bishop has broad discretion in terms of legislative or disciplinary actions in his own diocese. "Under canon law, the Catholic Church is not a universal church per se. Rather, there are local manifestations of the universal church in the form of dioceses. The bishop is the pastor of his diocese. It is important to note that he holds this post not by a papal delegation of authority, but by virtue of his being bishop ... Canon 391 states: "'It is for the diocesan bishop to govern the particular church entrusted to him with legislative, executive, and judicial power according to the norm of law ...'. Canon Christopher Thomas, General Secretary of the Bishop’s Conference of England & Wales, in evidence to the IICSA Inquiry Child Migrants Hearing 18 July 2017	According to the website of the US Catholic Bishops in 2022, the Code of Canon Law promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 1983 contains eighty-four canons that call for or permit legislative action by the episcopal conference. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (designated the National Conference of Catholic Bishops prior to July 1, 2001) has taken action on twenty-nine canons, thereby establishing particular legislation for the dioceses of the United States. The website contains a compilation of these complementary norms approved by the Conference. In some instances the bishops voted to retain existing norms or regulations, with due regard for any change or modification warranted by changes in the revised Code; in other instances they revised existing norms or created new norms where necessary. Those actions requiring recognitio or review by the Apostolic See, in accord with canon 455, §2, have been reviewed by the appropriate Roman dicastery. It is our hope that this compilation will be a useful resource to bishops, canonists, chancery officials, and pastoral ministers. It is our intent to update this website periodically as additional particular legislation is established for the United States. The Index of Complementary Norms shows that they range quite widely. Clerical Garb, the Liturgy of the Hours, Recirding the Bapstims of Adopted Children. The USCCB website includes their Financial Management Guide to Best Practices, dating from 2002 and updated annually. It runs to over 180 pages. The introduction says it’s not intended to address all financial administration matters likely to be encountered, but offers best practices unique to dioceses and religious institutions. (However the word “Must” appears over 100 times, and “Should” nearly 400. The English version of the 1983 Code of Canon Law has 346 Musts and 61 Shoulds.) The Guide shows puts some accountability on to the parish. “Annually, along with the parish annual report, each parish is required to send a letter to the diocesan bishop containing….the date(s) on which the approved parish financial statements/budgets were made available to parishioners during the preceding fiscal year and since the end of the fiscal year.” The Guide recommends the report be wide-ranging. ’“The Finance Council should provide assistance in the formulation and communication of the Annual Financial Report to the parish community, as required by Canon 1287 §2. The Annual Financial Report to the parish community often includes more than just financial information (e.g. description of key issues, programs and events, statistics related to attendance, sacraments, school and religious education enrolment, etc.)”. The Guide also sets out benefits for reporting. “Understandable, regular and complete communication to parishioners is a key responsibility of the parish administrator and an important area for the Parish Finance Council to assist. Communication keeps parishioners informed of the parish’s condition, its priorities, its needs, and progress on previously announced initiatives.”


	Spain Transparency
	Святары павінны прадстаўляць вернікам справаздачу з ахвяраванняў, якія яны здзяйсняюць на карысць Касцёла, згодна з нормамі, якія ўстанаўлівае партыкулярнае права (гл. канон 1287 § 2).