In the interest of fiscal transparency, good stewardship and best practices in nonprofit and church governance, I request the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference (PCC) make public its annual audited financial statements as well as the names of all appointed leaders representing their respective dioceses.
The PCC serves as the public affairs arm of Pennsylvania’s Catholic bishops and the 10 Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania. The PCC advocates for Catholic policy and promotes Catholic interests on the state level through monitoring legislation, lobbying legislators, conducting policy research and informing and educating the faithful.
Unfortunately, the “faithful” throughout Pennsylvania are in the dark regarding PCC finances and governance. The “public” affairs arm of the Pennsylvania Catholic bishops is anything but “public.” Assuming that some portion of the PCC’s operating budget comes from the Sunday collection baskets in every diocese, Pennsylvania Catholics have the right to know how the PCC is funded, where those funds are spent, and who serves in various leadership positions and advisory roles.
I strongly urge all Catholics in Pennsylvania to contact their local bishop and respectfully request immediate transparency from the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference.
Keith G. Kondrich
Swisshelm Park
The writer is a deacon in the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh.