HisChildForever Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Full story here. What ever happened to the vow of poverty?? The Archibishop of Newark is under fire for the $500,000 addition being added to his weekend house in the woods of Pittstown. The construction is underway as the church is closing schools due to the lack of money. At the end of a private road in rural Hunterdon County is the future retirement home of Newark Archbishop John Myers. It is a 4,000 square foot home on a lush eight-and-a-half-acre estate paid for by the archdiocese, which is also paying for the new 3,000-square-foot half-million-dollar addition. The new wing will have three fireplaces, a whirlpool and an elevator. A post on the Newark Archdiocesan website reads, "The planned construction is being paid for by donations from individuals specifically given for this purpose and through the sale of residential properties that the diocese owns but does not need." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luigi Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Secular priests do not take a vow of poverty. I'm not saying that the should be spending large amounts on a retirement home while the diocese is closing schools/churches, but he never took a vow of poverty. "Secular" means worldly. And I guess he's showing his taste for worldly things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazeingstar Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 It is definitely over indulgent and not in line with what the Pope has been preaching lately. That said, I wonder if there's more to the story. Is this home really for one person or many retired priests? If it's for many for safety reasons an elevator is probably logical, and a whirlpool a really nice thing most retirement homes have. That said if someone decided that he wanted to build a half million dollar retirement home for the archbishop, it's really that person's money. I know a priest who works with NYC business men on how they can spend their money to help the church. Many times they "choose" badly but even though the priest can guide them the one holding the money ultimately decides what it is to be used for if it's accepted. There was one man who wanted the floor of the church to be re-done in marble tile. The church had structural problems and served a poor community. He agreed to give the money for the structural problems and the floor he wanted. The church accepted. People were OUTRAGED that marble was spent on a floor when people were starving. That being said, 2 decades later the sister church with carpet-over-wood floors will likely have to spend far more to replace the damage done by the bad decision to put carpet over wood in a wet, northeast climate. In fact, the parish will likely be closed as the repair cost is too high. So it was a blessing that the money was spent. Sometime God uses the most selfish individuals to get his way in the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisvilleFan Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I know we only have one side of the story here, but it doesn't sit well with me either. It's true that diocesan priests make promises rather that vows, but that's simply because they are not part of a religious order. The spirit behind vows and promises is the same, and diocesan priests do make a promise to simplicity. A weekend house is a luxury to begin with. I can understand having one, but it doesn't have to cost that much. Donations restricted to worldly purposes should be rejected. If someone offers me a drink of poison, what twisted logic obligates me to accept it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilllabettt Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 well. often times elderly people need elevators to get around. there are companies that sell whirlpools to the elderly for therapeutic purposes and insurance pays for part of it because its for medical treatment. the key with these things is to avoid scandal. Which obviously, they failed to do. i would like to hear the "pitch" that the individual donors got. Most people will not part with their money for no good reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisvilleFan Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Maybe so. They don't need mansions. This $500,000 addition is nearly doubling a 4,000 sq ft home. Definitely not necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I know we only have one side of the story here, but it doesn't sit well with me either. It's true that diocesan priests make promises rather that vows, but that's simply because they are not part of a religious order. The spirit behind vows and promises is the same, and diocesan priests do make a promise to simplicity. A weekend house is a luxury to begin with. I can understand having one, but it doesn't have to cost that much. Donations restricted to worldly purposes should be rejected. If someone offers me a drink of poison, what twisted logic obligates me to accept it? They do not make a promise of poverty either. They promise chastity, and obedience to their ordinary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norseman82 Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Well, considering that the Pope did something to a German bishop for extravagant spending, I wouldn't be surprised if he were to do something in this case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I'd screen my calls if I was him. I expect he will be receiving a call from the head office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissyP89 Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 Our bishop down here just bought a $300,000 house ... and our old bishop was tied up in a financial scandal involving a beach home, some Italian lawyer and Anne Hathaway...(I'm serious.) #newjersey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice_nine Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 smh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChildForever Posted February 25, 2014 Author Share Posted February 25, 2014 well. often times elderly people need elevators to get around. there are companies that sell whirlpools to the elderly for therapeutic purposes and insurance pays for part of it because its for medical treatment. the key with these things is to avoid scandal. Which obviously, they failed to do. i would like to hear the "pitch" that the individual donors got. Most people will not part with their money for no good reason. Right, I thought this too. But if expansions are to be made, add an office, or a library, or a chapel, or a conference room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 (edited) My prediction is this guy is going to go the way of that German bishop. Disgusting displays of wealth and waste are not going to sit well Pope Francis. Edited February 25, 2014 by FuturePriest387 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pliny Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 This is a $500,000 ADDITION. Not all the funds came from private donations, but also from real estate owned and sold by the archdiocese, which is no excuse. Besides that, it seems to me that that should be some kind of conflict of interest, that a bishop could accept lavish personal donations. Why would an old retired man need 7,000 square feet of living space? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mortify ii Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 An archbishop living lavishly is not exactly a new phenomena, and although it may come across as distasteful and perhaps contrary to the sublime lifestyle of our Lord, there is nothing wrong with a man of rank living according to his social standing. It would of course be a great deed for such a person to give up their wealth voluntarily for the poor and glory of God, but it is ultimately their choice how they use what God has given them with and our Lord will ultimately be their final judge. We have to be careful not to expect austerities from others when we ourselves don't forsake luxury. How many of us would rather shop at a nice store than purchase something cheaper and offer the balance as charity? The bigger issue what is the source of these funds, whether this is actually a misallocation of Church funds or the Archbishops merited stipend. It should also be mentioned that this Archbishop has never been that favorable with the media because of his conservatism, could him being pro-life and against female ordinations also have something to do with this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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