In a continued effort to keep the faithful informed, Bishop Alfred Schlert has directed the addition of a Financial Transparency section to the diocesan website.
The Financial Transparency page includes the following detailed information:
- Combined financial statements for diocesan entities for the past two fiscal years.
- Because We Are Catholic Annual Appeal information, including details on how donations are used and a listing of members of the Appeal’s Board of Trust Advisors — lay people who assist in ensuring the proper allocation of Appeal donations.
- An explanation of how a portion of weekly parish contributions is used by the Diocese to support parish communities, school, and the mission of the Church throughout five counties.
- A list of members of the Diocesan Finance Council, lay experts who advise the Bishop on financial and stewardship matters.
- Guidelines that direct the management and oversight of financial resources including Financial Policies and Procedures and Parish Collection and Counting Procedures.
- Contact information for leadership members of the Diocese’s Finance Office, including Mrs. Kim Fiorentino, Secretary for Administration.
The Financial Transparency page is designed as a new resource for the faithful that consolidates much information that was previously available on the website or in other diocesan publications.
“I am deeply grateful to all of the people who have generously made contributions to the Diocese over the years, and to the expert lay faithful who assist in the proper stewardship and oversight of our resources,” said Bishop Schlert. “We are posting this information so the faithful might have a more accessible understanding of how the Diocese uses these gifts throughout our five counties.
“It is our goal to be as transparent as possible about this information,” Bishop Schlert said, “while we continue to perform our mission as a Roman Catholic Family of Faith, centered in the Holy Eucharist, faithful to the Church’s teachings, bringing the light of Christ to each other and to our community.”
The website can be accessed at www.allentowndiocese.org/financial-transparency.
