To the editor:
Bishop Jeffrey Monforton of the Diocese of Steubenville in Feb. 23 edition of the diocesan newspaper, The Steubenville Register, announced the commencing of a financial health audit of the diocese. The audit was being facilitated by Archbishop Daniel Schnurr of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. In addition, diocesan financial officers from Youngstown, Columbus and Cincinnati were coordinating with the audit firm. In the February article Monforton said, "a timeline has not yet been established for potential results from the audit."
It has been more than three months since the audit was announced and Monforton still has not provided a timeline for "potential results from the audit" nor provided any update on the progress of the audit to the members. He has either not been updated by Schnurr on the audit progress or continues to conceal financial information from the members that they are entitled to see.
Many Catholics have inherited a sense that church leadership should never be questioned, and that is very evident within the Diocese of Steubenville. However, the numerous cases of sexual and financial abuse in the church around the world, including the Diocese of Steubenville, clearly demonstrates that members must question church leadership; it is the responsibility of faithful Catholics.
I am praying that the results of the financial health audit will be completely transparent and factual. However, based on all of the issues including coverups of sexual and financial abuse ongoing within the Catholic church around the world involving cardinals and bishops, I am not optimistic that the members will ever know the true financial picture of their diocese.
The longer it takes for the financial health audit results to be shared with the members may be an indication that time may be running out on the viability of the Diocese of Steubenville. If it is coming to an end now, it is not because of the decline in members. It is not because of a decline in the financial generosity of its members. It is because of incompetent and criminal leadership.
In addition to the criminal financial acts committed, how much money has been spent in settling individual abuse claims against the diocese? What really happened to the millions of dollars in restricted donations for the cathedral renovation?
How do you trust a bishop who pursued a merger last October when he said, "Our numbers keep declining to a point of 10 years from now, can we even exist?" I put my trust in God that he can see the future 10 years from now. I don't trust Monforton to visualize the next 10 months. His lack of trust in the clergy and lay members' ability to be sustainable is because of his lack of the leadership skills necessary to lead his flock in today's world.
There are thousands of people within the boundaries of the diocese who may be receptive to Catholicism if only the bishop had the skills, ability and the willingness to energize his priests and reach out to them.
Frank Krajovic
Woodstock, Ga.