Sacred Heart Wilkes-Barre Foundation, Inc.
770 Lantern Hill Road
Shavertown, Pennsylvania18708
(570) 696-3169
August 2, 2008
Msgr. John J. Sempa, Pastor
Members of the Sacred Heart - St. John Parish Finance Committee
666 North Main Street
Wilkes-Barre, PA18705
Dear Msgr. Sempa and Members of the Sacred Heart – St. John Parish Finance Committee,
According to the Church Bulletin for the July 20 and July 27, 2008 weekend masses, the parish did not have the funds available to pay the entire parish school assessment for 2007 – 2008. Consequently, proceeds for the recent church bazaar were used to cover the remaining balance due of $22,453.30. It has been well documented that the parish school assessment for this past year was not fair or equitable when compared to other parishes in the diocese. As noted in our letter to you dated November 17, 2007 (copy attached), the $232,144 parish school assessment for 2007 – 2008 equates to an assessment rate of 45% of the parish base income, and exceeded the standard 25% assessment rate by $102,813. During the meeting on February 8, 2008 with the Bishop at the chancellery which Mgr. Sempa and Deacon Pete attended, it was noted that the assessments as charged were neither moderate nor proportional to income, and therefore did not comply with Canon Law 1263 (refer to attached letter dated February 20, 2008, in particular Item 5 on Page 2).
Clearly the parish does not have unlimited resources to pay excessive and unfair assessments and taxes. As stewards of the parish assets and finances, why did you pay the $102,813 overcharge? Why didn’t you dispute this instead of simply accepting it? Why didn’t you simply pay a 25% assessment ($129,331)? Certainly if you had been overcharged for a personal or household expense, you would dispute it and simply not pay it. Our parish could certainly have put the $102,813 overcharge to better use than to have subsidized other parishes. This overcharge is more than three times the Sacred Heart - St. John portion of the profits from the church bazaar.
Regards,
Anthony S. Foti
Member of Board of Directors,
Sacred Heart Wilkes-Barre Foundation, Inc.
CC: Father Michael F. Quinnan, E.V.
Msgr. Vincent J. Grimalia, V.G. |
