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© St. Petersburg Times, published June 20, 2002
Dear Readers: Thank you for the more than 300 e-mail messages and 50 letters you sent me. Even my 82-year-old mother wrote offering her advice! About a third of the messages encouraged me to fulfill my pledge to the bishop's building fund. The rest advised me to withhold it or redirect it to another charity. Here is a sample (a tithing?) of your responses.
-- ROY PETER CLARK
I feel your commitment to the school building fund is a good one. Quality education has brought you to your station in life. If there is to be light after the darkness of this terrible scandal, let it be in the hearts and minds of those who graduate from these schools. Keep the faith and pass it on. We love you. Mom.
-- Shirley Clark, Long Island, New York
Sorry, but when I look around at everything the Catholic Church owns, I cannot ever see it "impoverished." Truly believe the church will let the poor suffer before selling any of its assets. I voted with my head, forgoing any more pledges.
-- Carol Coleman, Crystal River
A pledge is a promise. What is the problem?
-- Elizabeth Papineau, Largo
I will never contribute to bricks and mortar until structures are in place which give elected laity oversight of both local and diocesan funds.
-- Alan Patteson, Jr., Jonesboro, AR
The clergy needs to be knocked off its high horse. They have too good a deal and make a mockery of Jesus' message of love, humility and rejection of the worldly life and goods.
-- John A. Ferrara, St. Petersburg
As far as charity is concerned, you haven't the slightest clue as to its meaning. If you did you would never think of conducting a survey. Shame on you for joining the Catholic Bashing Crusade.
-- Frank Pecchie, Oldsmar
A lot of Catholics would not be that honest about what they give to support the Church. I'm glad you admit to being ashamed.
-- Peg O'Connell, Spring Hill
The spirit of your contribution is what is important and I believe a smaller, more local charity would be more grateful and will use your contribution to serve the local community. Your donation will have a larger impact and not be tied up in the problematic bureaucracy that is currently crippling the Catholic Church. Thank you for soliciting the opinion of your readers.
-- Teresa Clark, Safety Harbor
Let's be honest, as the laity the only voice we have is money.
-- Linda Morley Perri, Clearwater
After all is said and done, I think we need to hold fast to our commitment to the Church in spite of what has been played out before us, in spite of the anger we justifiably feel, in spite of the evil, stupidity and arrogance we see that disappoints and disillusions us. We need to do it because we are the Church.
-- Stephanie Graham, St. Petersburg
This morning at the breakfast table my wife said "Hey Bill, you've got to read this. Some guy has taken your thoughts and paraphrased them." For the past two weeks I have agonized and lost sleep over this situation. At this past Sunday's Mass I prayed for some assistance from above to help me make this decision.
-- Bill McKeown, Largo
If I give $5 to the homeless person on the street corner, God knows my heart and my generosity. He commands us to give to the poor. If that homeless person spends the money on drugs or alcohol, that's not my problem. He will have to answer for his actions, not me. I have done what I am supposed to do.
-- Jean M. Gallagher, St. Petersburg
My wife's sister is a Catholic nun and I send money directly to her mother house to care for them. I also contribute to a soup kitchen that feeds local residents. When I send money to them, I feel sure that it is used appropriately.
-- Dr. Stephen A. Thompson, Largo
I'm not only going to honor my pledge, I'm going to increase it.
-- Chuck Brower, Tampa
We did promise to give this money to the diocese and we intend to live up to this promise. Our conscience is clear.
-- Joseph and Anne Chinchar, Inverness
Money spent for extortion or payoffs in any form is unacceptable.
-- Lois Spatuzzi, Brooksville
Your column this morning touched a rather raw nerve. I am furious with the leaders of our church.
-- Heather Foderingham, Clearwater
Your article somehow gave me comfort. Knowing that others are worried about their decision to give to the Catholic Church at this time of crisis makes me understand that I am not alone.
-- Emily Neligan Ginley, Madeira Beach
You should fulfill your promise to your church. It is also incumbent on you to stand close to your money. Work to be assured the church uses it in the manner you intended.
-- Jabe Breland, St. Petersburg
I feel betrayed by those who taught me as a child that it is a necessity to do the right thing.
-- Norma McCulliss, Palm Harbor
Why let a minority of so-called clerics cause you to lose any representation of your faith, be it a church, school, temple or synagogue? Remember why you give in the first place and let God worry about it.
-- Theresa Martin, Spring Hill
I too would like to support my church and its outreach programs, but not with blinders on. I'm at a loss right now.
-- Helen McGrath, Tampa
I'm a former Roman Catholic, and also a sexual abuse survivor, who was abused by a priest. I would hope that you would decide to give the money to a local charity that is involved in helping children with abuse issues. Giving the money to the church only makes you part of the problem.
-- Anonymous
I too sat in church while a television balanced on the altar described the fundraising program. My four children sat beside me and I was very much pregnant with my fifth. I had about $20 to my name that week. The very expensive production featuring professional television personalities told me of my Catholic moral duty to help raise $6-million.
Something in me snapped. I immediately took the kids out to the parking lot and told them the story of Jesus and the tax collectors in the temple.
-- Anne Lynch, St. Petersburg