Where Most Needed

St. Louis Bishop Reins in Catholic Charities

A takeover of the charity's development office by the archdiocese leads to resignation of the board chair and at least three other board members. 

USAID Kicks Associates & Takes Names

The USAID Partner Vetting Program wants specifics on who is receiving aid using their funds, but just in the West Bank and Gaza—for now.  The proposal highlights the curious variability in the expectations of transparency—one organization advocating for vetting doesn't turn up in databases of registered nonprofit organizations. 

Trial Spotlights Lapses in Cleveland Diocese Oversight

The first of two federal trials accuses a former assistant treasurer of the diocese of conspiring with the CFO in an overpriced outsourcing arrangement for accounting and computer services that included kickbacks to the CFO.  But when the CFO was found out, he went to work for the Columbus diocese.  The defense claims that these arrangements were business as usual in Cleveland. 

Attorney Claims Priest Embezzlement is Internal Church Matter

Defense lawyer argues for dismissal of an indictment relating to a million dollars said to have been diverted by a parish priest for the support of his secret family forty miles away from his parishes in rural Virginia. 

Caught! A Tale of Two Churches in Chicago

Sting operations nab a priest and a church secretary in separate incidents, but the one case cost the congregation more and took much longer to uncover than the other. 

Catholic & Jewish Charities Consume the Most Pork

An analysis of the New York Times' data on religious earmarks reveals details that confound stereotypes about faith-based lobbying. 

Faculty at Ave Maria Law School Fights Founder's Flighty Vision

Conservative law professors are taking an activist approach to block the move of their school from Michigan to Thomas Monaghan's new town development, Ave Maria, Florida.

Catholic Leaders in St. Louis Suffer Public Relations Meltdown

The Archbishop and the priest that leads the city's Jesuit university find themselves in the headlines for their positions on fundraising and religion.  And it's the Masons vs. the Catholics before the Missouri Supreme Court. 

Faith-based Group Falters with Katrina Aid

Another group falls far short of its initial projections about the number of people provided with assistance, but few are paying attention. 

More Questions in Chicago Catholic Charities Case

The agency unsuccessfully sought coverage from twenty-five other insurance carriers, showing how deep the lack of trust runs.