AP: After lobbying, Catholic Church won $1.4B in virus aid
Source: Associated Press
AP: After lobbying, Catholic Church won $1.4B in virus aid
By REESE DUNKLIN and MICHAEL REZENDES
an hour ago
NEW YORK (AP) -- The U.S. Roman Catholic Church used a special and unprecedented exemption from federal rules to amass at least $1.4 billion in taxpayer-backed coronavirus aid, with many millions going to dioceses that have paid huge settlements or sought bankruptcy protection because of clergy sexual abuse cover-ups.
The church's haul may have reached -- or even exceeded -- $3.5 billion, making a global religious institution with more than a billion followers among the biggest winners in the U.S. government's pandemic relief efforts, an Associated Press analysis of federal data released this week found.
Houses of worship and faith-based organizations that promote religious beliefs aren't usually eligible for money from the U.S. Small Business Administration. But as the economy plummeted and jobless rates soared, Congress let faith groups and other nonprofits tap into the Paycheck Protection Program, a $659 billion fund created to keep main street open and Americans employed.
By aggressively promoting the payroll program and marshaling resources to help affiliates navigate its shifting rules, Catholic dioceses, parishes, schools and other ministries have so far received approval for at least 3,500 forgivable loans, AP found.
The Archdiocese of New York, for example, received 15 loans worth at least $28 million just for its top executive offices. Its iconic St. Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue was approved for at least $1 million.
In Orange County, California, where a sparkling glass cathedral estimated to cost over $70 million recently opened, diocesan officials working at the complex received four loans worth at least $3 million.
And elsewhere, a loan of at least $2 million went to the diocese covering Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, where a church investigation revealed last year that then-Bishop Michael Bransfield embezzled funds and made sexual advances toward young priests.
{snip}
Read more: https://apnews.com/dab8261c68c93f24c0bfc1876518b3f6
Hat tip, WTOP, at 7:53 a.m.
-- -- -- -- --
"... a loan of at least $2 million went to the diocese covering Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, where a church investigation revealed last year that then-Bishop Michael Bransfield embezzled funds and made sexual advances toward young priests."
Link to tweet
Freedomofspeech
(4,218 posts)They have paid out nearly 4 billion over the years in sex abuse claims!
Historic NY
(37,449 posts)One in my community was already a merged school. So the solution is busing in some cases it would be more than an hour + each way.
[link:https://archny.org/20-catholic-schools-in-archdiocese-of-new-york-will-not-reopen-three-will-merge-in-wake-of-covid-19-pandemic/|]
Champp
(2,114 posts)I guess they figured the Republican Payola was an easier grab.
FakeNoose
(32,356 posts)Are you guys OK with this? Because I'm not, and I was raised a Catholic.
This chit has got to stop -- NOW! I don't even care how they're trying to justify this, it is an election year and we all know what's happening. He's buying votes.
rurallib
(62,346 posts)don't answer, I think I know.
Laurian
(2,593 posts)mahatmakanejeeves
(56,897 posts)ResistantAmerican17
(3,777 posts)Bayard
(21,806 posts)"Houses of worship and faith-based organizations that promote religious beliefs aren't usually eligible for money from the U.S. Small Business Administration. But as the economy plummeted and jobless rates soared, Congress let faith groups and other nonprofits tap into the Paycheck Protection Program, a $659 billion fund created to keep main street open and Americans employed."
Non-profit my ass!
Cartaphelius
(868 posts)the republicans to pay the catholic church federal dollars, $1.4 billion,
to overset the costs incurred by the church for allowing, endorsing and hiding
the institutional neglect that is centuries old.
It is the same playbook they use for their own abuses of the citizens of
America.
riversedge
(69,727 posts)will continue on and on. sinking.
mahatmakanejeeves
(56,897 posts)Bluto's Speech from Animal House
555,600 viewsOct 28, 2012
Michael Kirkpatrick
1.27K subscribers
John Belushi gives this motivational speech to his Delta House brothers in "Animal House".
DENVERPOPS
(8,679 posts)Pedophile grifters in Washington................
merely looking out for each other............
KPN
(15,587 posts)to my tax dollars going to any religious group!
keithbvadu2
(36,369 posts)Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(107,111 posts)IcyPeas
(21,747 posts)with a billion bucks?
diva77
(7,606 posts)make any kind of whistle blowing or questioning of "the establishment" less likely. A closed loop. No accountability.
k&r for exposure