I want to talk to you tonight about money. As faithful catholics we are surely accustomed to people talking to us about money. The usual refrain is that we must give money to our church, so that the church can do God's work. If we don't give of our treasure, people will suffer.

Has anyone here not heard that message? Of course we have. Many times. Over many decades. So we gave, and we continue to give.

My message tonight is not that you must give more money to our Church. My message tonight is not that you must give less money to our Church. My message tonight is a little more complicated than "give more" or "give less". Let me explain.

The sexual abuse scandal and the cover-up has had at least one positive development. The uproar from the laity and the press has forced the hierarchy to disclose some of its financial data in our Diocese. Our Bishop has published a series of financial statements in the Long Island Catholic.

As we continue to examine the financial reports coming out of Rockville Centre, we continue to be shocked and awed by the disclosures. Simply stated, we are amazed at the vast wealth that exists in virtually every diocesan organization. Let me make one thing perfectly clear. Catholic Charities,and the people who work there,are dedicated, good, caring people. The organization helped 79,000 people last year. We are not being critical of Catholic Charities in any manner, whatsoever.

Our concerns are the hierarchy's control of finances.The apparent policy of accumulating wealth versus spending your money to maximize charity to Long Islanders. We simply have questions about how our money is being used, or not used. Let me give you some examples which prompt those questions:

Why did they borrow money? Does it make sense to borrow money when you have $17,000,000. in stocks and bonds?

Perhaps there are logical explanations for these numbers. Hopefully, the regional Finance Committee will seek and obtain those answers.

But think about this!

Do these numbers paint the same picture described in the stories we read in the Long Island Catholic? We are told that the shortfall in the Bishop's Appeal has already caused lost jobs and cutbacks in Catholic Charities programs. Joanne Navarro, Bishop Murphy's public relations representative was quoted in Newsday, " People will suffer".

We don't think anyone needs to suffer. We think our Bishop needs a new financial compass. We think William Murphy is as inept at managing money in Rockville Centre as he was in managing pedophiles in Boston. We think the focus needs to be on using our money to help the needy, not to buy stocks and bonds. We want you to think about it.

We must focus on cutting off funds to Rockville Centre so that our voices will be heard.

How do we do that?

We do it by joining the scores of families in St. Hugh Parish who write "For St.Hugh Parish Use Only´" on their weekly contribution checks. This prevents the 8 ¼% tax on your money from being sent to Bishop Murphy. It will increase the funds available to our parish to do God's work.

Think about the fact that not one dollar you contribute to the Bishop's Annual Appeal this year will come back to St.Hugh's.

I'm talking to you about money tonight because our Diocese has lost its financial compass. I'm talking about money because our leadership in Rockville Centre appears to be un-phased by criticism in the press. I'm talking about money because our leadership appears to be unmoved by the Suffolk County Grand Jury Report. They are arrogant about the scathing Boston Grand Jury report. I'm talking about money because the Bishop is uninterested in the letters you have sent him. I'm talking about money because he is disdainful of the National, Regional and Parish organizations of the Voice of The Faithful. I'm talking to you about money tonight because money and prayer are the only weapons we have left.

The third goal of Voice of the Faithful is to foster structural change in our church. Money is our only voice. Money is the only message that gets our Bishop's attention. THINK ABOUT IT.

I'm not asking you to give more. I'm not asking you to give less. I'm asking you to think about where your money goes. We need to think about it. Ask questions Educate ourselves. Demand Changes

THINK ABOUT IT.