Desiderata for Bishops and Dioceses

With the news that arguably the most abused diocese in the country is set to receive a new bishop, herewith some desiderata for the new bishop of Wheeling-Charleston to set an example for all the others:

First, if he wants to be taken seriously, he will begin by ensuring parish councils have power to decide with their pastors on an annual budget and then require an annual outside audit. Nothing above, say, $500 can be spent without signatures of both pastor and council.

Second, the same will be done at the diocesan level: the synod meets each year to pass a budget, and then the diocesan council, empowered by and representative of the synod, works out the budget with the bishop and they and he are accountable to each other and the wider diocese for all monies spent, and for ensuring an annual outside independent audit.

Third, the bishop and parish council are also mutually empowered and accountable for the selection and removal of clergy. When a new priest is to be introduced, the parish council first must see his entire personnel file and be told by the bishop under oath that he has no evidence of any abuse and is not hiding abusers by shuffling them around.

Absent these changes at a minimum no bishop anywhere can expect to recover one shred of credibility, authority, or trustworthiness. All this (and much more) is argued in more detail in my new book, Everything Hidden Shall Be Revealed: Ridding the Church of Abuses of Sex and Power.