For the first time that I’m aware of, the Diocese of Niagara has included the cost of suing ANiC parishes in a financial statement.
You can find the statement here and the relevant line shows that in 2009 the diocese, while not preoccupied with distributing free hugs, spent $395,895 on lawsuits:
Where did this money come from? It wasn’t budgeted – and it still isn’t. It presumably came from the diocese’s primary source of income: the diocesan assessment. That means that with a total assessment in 2009 of $3,044,139, 13 cents out of every dollar contributed by Diocese of Niagara parishioners was used to sue fellow Christians.
The financial statement goes on to declare that the diocese was the defendant in the 2009 legal action; it was actually the plaintiff – the instigator of the suit – as can be seen here. In addition, even if the diocese does finally win all the litigation, it will not recover its legal costs; of the $395,895, only around $80,000 of was recovered.
You should put this on the Essentials blog.
I believe the last paragraph is in error. The cost awarded the diocese are for actions taken so far. These costs cannot be pursued again – they have already been dealt with in the court’s eyes. They may sue for future cost incurred (after the fact) but again, will only receive a portion – and if the prior two years is anything to go by it will be a minimal portion.
Seeing as you are taking the inventory of the D of Niagara, I’d love to see the legal fees of the ANiC. Can’t imagine that’s a rosey picture.
For Niagara, they are considerably less than the diocese’s. More important, the legal fund is separate from weekly offerings; money has to be explicitly designated to it.
Yet there is merit in what the DofN is doing. They are fighting for what is rightfully their heritage. ANiC is pulling a land grab.
As a member of St. Hilda’s for over 25 years I am proud of the ministry that had been provided to the poor, the broken and the lost. During that time we accomplished this ministry with little help from the D oF N and still managed to be one of a handful of churches that regularly over paid their assessment. The faithful parishioners paid off the mortgage, maintained the buildings and property and gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to the D of N. When the leaders of the D of N stand before God I am confident He will not be saying “Well done my faithful servants, it was always my goal that you shut down my temples of worship and put my children out into the streets so you can build up your purse on earth. They will get what is rightfully their heritage but I fear that their heritage may not be what they are expecting.
$400 G’s a year? And rising?
I wonder how many church properties will have to be sold off to raise the loot to keep it all going?
It would be very illuminating to see a map of the diocese with all the former churches marked with a red star. Lets go back to the introduction of the BAS as a starting point just to make things clear.
If I were a loans officer and saw the downward spiral of one of my customers set out like that I’d run to the sheriff and start foreclosure proceedings on what is left to save the bank’s money.
But then that’s just me.
Gawk,
Why the BAS? Don’t tell me you find the worm theology of the BCP enlightening?
Eph 3:20,
I’m not answering for Gawk but: while I’m not set against the BAS as I think he is, I do find the “worm theology” enlightening.
Perhaps this is partly because I am not a cradle Christian – or Anglican. When I came to Christ, part of it was because of an acute sense of being a sinner, of being unable to do anything about it for myself, about needing someone else to do something about it for me – about being a worm.
I’m more than happy to be reminded of that.
I just find “manifold sin and wickedness” a bit over the top – as with other phrases. I too need to be ever mindful of of my sinfulness. But the images of constant self fladulation that comes from the BCP reminds of medieval times and the days when monks would mortify themselves daily to repent for their otherwise minor misdeeds.
Eph 3:20
“Worn theology”? That’s a new one!