Priest Abuse Scandals Affect Donations
B O S T O N, April 15 -- Every year around this time, Boston Catholic Charities sends solicitation letters to 20,000 regular donors. This year, instead of checks, they received some stinging replies.
One person wrote: "Not until Cardinal [Bernard] Law resigns." Another bore the message: "Buzz off. Take us off your list, you scum!"
Officials at Catholic Charities, the largest social service agency in Massachusetts, say private and corporate contributions are down significantly because many donors are protesting the pedophile priest scandal and Law's refusal to resign by refusing to give.
There have been growing calls for Boston cardinal Bernard Law to resign in the wake of information revealing he and other church officials knew of sexual abuse allegations against priests over many years.
"Many of those people are very angry about the Church and this scandal and they are taking their anger out on the Catholic Charities," said Joseph Doolin, president of Catholic Charities.
One board member said a number of corporations have stated bluntly they will not donate money as long as Law remains cardinal. Last Friday, Law said in a statement he would not step down.
The church scandal has also led the charity to cancel its largest annual fund-raiser, the Garden Party at the Archdiocese Chancery, which normally accounts for more than 30 percent of the $5 million it raises each year.
Officially, the event was canceled because it was considered inappropriate to stage a party in the midst of the pedophile priest scandal.
Letter to Donors: Donations Separate From Settlements
Last month, Catholic Charities sent a letter to its regular donors in which it sought to explain that the organization is largely independent of the Boston archdiocese. It has also emphasized that none of the money it raises goes to pay for legal settlements with alleged victims of pedophile priests.
"While we take pride in being the social service arm of the Archdiocese, Catholic Charities is an externally funded, self-supporting corporation," the letter said.
