Sacred Heart Wilkes-Barre Foundation, Inc.
770 Lantern Hill Road
Shavertown, Pennsylvania18708
(570) 696-3169
March 6, 2008
Most Rev. Joseph F. Martino, D.D. Hist. E.D.
Bishop of Scranton
Diocese of Scranton
300 Wyoming Avenue
Scranton, Pennsylvania18503
Subject: Your Letter dated February 20, 2008
Dear Bishop Martino,
In reference to your subject letter regarding our meeting on February 8, 2008, we certainly acknowledge and respect your authority as diocesan bishop as covered by cannon law. I also thank you for mandating that a member of the parish and our foundation be appointed to the Parish Core Team. The foundation has nominated me and I accepted this appointment effective February 20, 2008.
I also recognize the sensitive nature of our discussions at this meeting regarding ... Please be assured that I will respect your request to avoid further discussions on these matters. Also, please be advised that all these incidents transpired prior to the formation of our foundation.
Regarding your instruction to avoid discussion of the school assessments during the Pastoral Planning Study, I have a responsibility to verify the financial data of the parish for this project. Therefore I do not know how to fulfill my obligation as a member of the core team without the possibility of a discussion on this topic, since the assessment has such a significant impact on the parish expenses. Per the Financial Data Verification Form for Sacred Heart – St. John Parish in the Reid planning guide, there is reference to Catholic School Subsidies (Item D008), which is another term for the School Assessments. I have prepared a comparative analysis (copy enclosed) of the Financial Statements published with the Church Bulletins versus the Reid financial data. There are many discrepancies. We are to use this data in our planning both as a parish and as a cluster of parishes. We are also to analyze the trends in this data. Obviously you can understand my dilemma.
I am also enclosing an analysis of the seating capacity for the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church prepared by my husband, based upon the architectural review previously completed from Msgr. Sempa. I plan on distributing this to and discussing this with my Core Team at our next meeting. As can be seen, there is a significant discrepancy between the 500 seating capacity listed in the Reid Verification Form and the analysis by Foti Engineering:
Typical Seating Maximum Seating
Existing Pews: 569 654
Additional Choir Loft: 50 – 75 50 – 75
Potential Seating Capacity: 619- 644 704 – 729
Thank you once again for the opportunity to participate in the diocesan “Called to Holiness and Mission” project.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Noreen W. Foti
President, Sacred Heart Wilkes-Barre Foundation, Inc.
CC: Msgr. Vincent J. Grimalia, V.G.
Rev. Michael F. Quinnan, V.E.
Mr. James M. Quinn
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