CENTRAL NEW YORK: Key diocesan leaders resign. 60 of 95 parishes behind in assessments

Special Report

By David W. Virtue

SYRACUSE, NY: (9/15/2006)--Two key diocesan leaders; the chairman of the Property Committee and Diocesan Treasurer have resigned from the board of the Diocese of Central New York, in advance of this November's convention because of the diocese's financial troubles.

A source deep inside the diocese, told VOL that the two men were the financial gurus of the diocese and their resignations were precipitated by the fact that some 60 of the 95 parishes in the diocese are either behind in paying their assessments to the diocese, or are completely withholding assessment payments because of wider theological and moral issues facing the national church. There is no hint of theft or illegality.