To the editor:
The Diocese of Steubenville has posted annual financial audits for four years starting July 1, 2018, and ending June 30, 2022. The diocesan financial audits can now be found on the Diocese of Steubenville's website main page. The members are still waiting on the results of the audit conducted by Cincinnati Archbishop Dennis Schnurr's financial audit results that commenced in February.
In the May 13, 2022, edition of the Steubenville Register, former Bishop Jeffrey Monforton announced that plans to renovate the cathedral had been scrapped for lack of funds. Also, in the fiscal financial audit which ended June 30, 2022 (Note 15. Settlement), the diocese paid $550,000 in settling a civil case regarding its handling of complaints against a former priest.
In the audit ending June 2022 on the website there is a section at the end regarding the cathedral project (Note 14. Cathedral Project). It states that as a result of the project being canceled, $778,902 of costs related to this project were included in net assets with donor restrictions as construction-in-progress on previous years' statements of financial position. The remaining costs of $390,616 were included in construction-in-progress.
The financial audit ending on June 30, 2022, stated that the diocese had a total of $1,719,507 in the cathedral fund, which included $549,989 in cash and investments.
In the Herald-Star on Nov. 25, 2013, Monforton stated, "I am glad to announce we now have approximately 75 percent ($3.75 million) of what we need for this $5 million project." In the Herald-Star on June 10, 2014, Monforton said, "We have been blessed with a number of significant financial gifts for the restoration of Holy Name. And we have received a seven-figure gift for this campaign."
One of the "gifts" for the cathedral renovation, according to Monforton, was for a minimum of $1 million. Excluding the cash, investments and the minimum $1 million gift, there was a maximum of $169,518 in other donations in the cathedral fund when Monforton canceled the project in May 2022. This is based on the financial audit ending June 30, 2022.
What happened to the millions of dollars in donations, which included "significant financial gifts" for the restoration of Holy Name Cathedral, that Monforton said he had in 2013 but are unaccounted for?
If the diocese merges with Columbus, the members will probably never know.
Frank Krajovic
CCHS Class of 1965
Woodstock, Ga.