it has come to my attention that the San Diego Union Tribune notes in an October 6th article that Bishop Brom will be asking clergymen and all lay Catholics in the diocese to make a special donation to cover the nearly $200 MILLION dollars to be paid out to the alleged 144 victims from the priest abuse scandal in this diocese. He wants each priest to donate a month's salary. And for retired priests to kick in too. Pardon me all to hell and begone, but this smacks of blackmail. What's he going to do to the priests who aren't rolling in dough to begin with who don't want to kick in? Currently a pastor grosses $1,535 a month, and an associate a little less. Peanuts. And their boss wants 1/12th of it.
You can see the bishop's letter here. My first thought was of the 1st cut on the Aerosmith's Greatest Hits album.
Mind you, this was the guy that caved in and said yes to everything, rather than fight some rather questionable allegations in some instances. He also decided it was a brilliant idea to declare the diocese bankrupt. This blog does not in any way mean to imply that there weren't victims who deserve to be compensated. But I am saying that this bishop has shown monumental ineptitude. Other dioceses, like Pittsburgh, settled for 80k per victim. Here it was $1.3 million per victim. DUE TO INCOMPETENCE. He wants to heal this diocese? He can start by RESIGNING. Then "we'll talk."
Until then: BUPKIS
