New Foundation Will Give Philly Catholics Greater Say in Church Spending

The Inquirer reports that the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is creating a new private foundation that will give the city’s lay leaders more say over how local church money is spent and accounted for.

The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia follows the formula used last year in turning over management of archdiocesan high schools to the Faith in the Future Foundation. It gives lay leaders more say over church functions that have long been kept under tight control by the hierarchy.

“Philadelphia has always been among the more – however you want to put it – conventional, hierarchical archdioceses. This is a fairly radical break with that,” said John J. DiIulio Jr., a professor of politics, religion, and civil society at the University of Pennsylvania.

The foundation initially will be overseen by a 14-member board with a mix of executives from the for-profit and not-for-profit worlds. The number of trustees is expected to increase.  … Chairman of the board is Richard T. Clark, a retired chairman and chief executive of Merck & Co. Clark lives in Bucks County and attends Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Buckingham Township.

The foundation’s purpose isn’t to fill gaps in the archdiocese budget, the Inky reports, but to expand support for Catholic causes.