Legatus Temporarily Revokes Annual Tithe to Holy See

Monday, November 19, 2018

Legatus Temporarily Revokes Annual Tithe to Holy See

by Christine Niles, M.St. (Oxon.), J.D. • ChurchMilitant.com • November 18, 2018

Announcement comes after disappointing bishops' meeting in Baltimore

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (ChurchMilitant.com) - Just after the close of the U.S. bishops' meeting in Baltimore, Legatus, a national group of Catholic businessmen, announced it would be temporarily revoking its annual tithe to the Holy See. Members who have already paid dues will get refunds, and members who have not yet donated will get revised invoices minus the tithe.

On Friday, Chairman Thomas Monaghan issued a letter to members making clear it was not yet "prudent" to send money to the Vatican in light of "the current crisis in the Church."

"Since our founding, the annual tithe has been an important part of Legatus membership," the letter states. "Thus, it is the intent of the Board to reinstate this practice once we have sufficient communication regarding the specific accountability related to the use of these funds. The Board will revisit this topic by the fall of 2019 in order to chart a plan related to the 2020 dues."

The annual tithe is significant, reaching nearly $1 million. Tweet

The annual tithe is significant, reaching nearly $1 million. Just two days before Monaghan's letter, the bishops had wrapped up their three-day meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, a conference viewed largely as a failure. The meeting opened with the surprise announcement from Rome that the bishops could not make any binding resolutions on sex abuse — the very reason they were meeting — and closed with a failed measure to release files on sexual predator Abp. Theodore McCarrick, voted down 137–83.

Monaghan's November 16 letter follows his Sept. 6 announcement that the organization would be temporarily withholding the tithe, after the Church's "Summer of Shame" prompted multiple calls from concerned members.

Church Militant has confirmed that among those calls was a written plea from James Longon, former head of the audit committee of the Papal Foundation. Longon resigned from the Foundation earlier this year after then-chairman Cdl. Donald Wuerl rammed through a controversial $25 million grant to the Vatican — money that to this day remains unaccounted for.

"Events over the past few weeks have prompted many members to contact the national office and members of the Board of Governors regarding the current crisis in the Church," the Sept. 6 letter from Monaghan states.

"We have also had discussions regarding our (Legatus') annual tithe to the Holy See, specifically pertaining to how it is being used, and what financial accountability exists within the Vatican for such charitable contributions," the letter continues. " The Board has begun a dialogue along these lines, and in the meantime has decided to place the Holy See annual tithe in escrow, pending further determination (by the Board).

"We certainly pledge our continued devotion to Holy Mother Church, and recognize the tithe has been an important commitment of Legatus since our founding," Monaghan wrote. "However, in light of recent revelations and questions, we believe it appropriate to respectfully request clarification regarding the specific use of these funds."

The full Nov. 16 letter follows:

Dear fellow members,

On September 6th, I wrote you on behalf of the Board of Governors to share with you the Board’s decision to withhold our annual tithe to the Holy See (and place it in escrow). Since that time, I know you have been ardently praying for the Church and all of our leaders. Let us continue to do so; it is evident that it is going to take time for the current crisis in the Church to be addressed to the point where the Board believes the reinstatement of our annual tithe would be prudent.

Therefore, it is the decision of the Board of Governors to forego collecting the annual tithe represented in your 2019 dues. For those who have already submitted their dues, the National Office will refund the appropriate amount earmarked for the Holy See contribution in a timely fashion. For those who have not yet remitted your dues, new invoices will be sent.

Since our founding, the annual tithe has been an important part of Legatus membership. Thus, it is the intent of the Board to reinstate this practice once we have sufficient communication regarding the specific accountability related to the use of these funds. The Board will revisit this topic by the fall of 2019 in order to chart a plan related to the 2020 dues.

As George Weigel so articulately stated in his Wall Street Journal article entitled, A Crisis, but not of Faith (August 30, 2018), the Church is most certainly in crisis, but it is not a crisis of Faith. As an organization, Legatus continues to pledge its devotion to and solidarity with Holy Mother Church; this is a time when we need to live the mission of Legatus more than ever.

As we approach the Advent season, let us continue to pray for healing and courage for the Church. Please be assured of the Board’s prayers for you.

Sincerely in Christ,

Thomas S. Monaghan

Chairman & CEO

No comments:

We will recognize them by their fruits.

Prayer to St. Michael

Please protect us, St. Michael the Archangel, against violence, murder, and robbery. In your goodness preserve us today from all the malice of sinful and wicked persons. In your sleepless vigilance watch over the safety and welfare of our homes, and keep guard over our possessions. Ever hold in your special care, most triumphant St. Michael, the forces of public order against the crimes of evil people, and defend all honest citizens in time of peril. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Novena Prayer to St. Michael

(Pray for nine consecutive days)
Saint Michael the Archangel, loyal champion of God and His Catholic people, I turn to thee with confidence and seek thy powerful intercession. For the love of God, Who hast made thee so glorious in grace and power, and for the love of the Mother of Jesus, the Queen of the Angels, be pleased to hear my prayer.
Thou knowest the value of my soul in the eyes of God. May no stain of evil ever disfigure its beauty. Help me to conquer the evil spirit who tempts me. I desire to imitate thy loyalty to God and Holy Mother Church and thy great love for God and men. And since thou art God’s messenger for the care of His people, I entrust to thee this special request: (here mention your request).
Saint Michael, since thou art, by the will of the Creator, the powerful intercessor of Christians, I have great confidence in thy prayers. I earnestly trust that if it is God’s holy will, my petition will be granted.
Pray for me, Saint Michael, and also for those I love. Protect us in all dangers of body and soul. Help us in our daily needs. Through thy powerful intercession, may we live a holy life, die a happy death and reach Heaven where we may praise and love God with thee forever. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.
St. Michael, Guardian of souls, Vanquisher of rebel spirits, Pray for us.

St John Chrysostom

Our Lord having reproached the Jews with blindness, they might have said, We are not blind, but we avoid you as a deceiver. Our Lord therefore gives the marks which distinguish a robber and deceiver from a true shepherd. First come those of the deceiver and robber: Verily, verily, I say to you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. There is an allusion here to Antichrist, and to certain false Christs who had been, and were to be. The Scriptures He calls the door. They admit us to the knowledge of God, they protect the sheep, they shut out the wolves, they bar the entrance to heretics. He that uses not the Scriptures, but climbs up some other way, i.e. some self-chosen, some unlawful way, is a thief. Climbs up, He says, not, enters, as if it were a thief getting over a wall, and running all risks. Some other way, may refer too to the commandments and traditions of men which the Scribes taught, to the neglect of the Law. When our Lord further on calls Himself the Door, we need not be surprised. According to the office which He bears, He is in one place the Shepherd, in another the Sheep. In that He introduces us to the Father, He is the Door, in that He takes care of us, He is the Shepherd. (Catena Aurea)

LIBERTAS ENCYCLICAL OF POPE LEO XIII ON THE NATURE OF HUMAN LIBERTY
35. And as to tolerance, it is surprising how far removed from the equity and prudence of the Church are those who profess what is called liberalism. For, in allowing that boundless license of which We have spoken, they exceed all limits, and end at last by making no apparent distinction between truth and error, honesty and dishonesty. And because the Church, the pillar and ground of truth, and the unerring teacher of morals, is forced utterly to reprobate and condemn tolerance of such an abandoned and criminal character, they calumniate her as being wanting in patience and gentleness, and thus fail to see that, in so doing, they impute to her as a fault what is in reality a matter for commendation. But, in spite of all this show of tolerance, it very often happens that, while they profess themselves ready to lavish liberty on all in the greatest profusion, they are utterly intolerant toward the Catholic Church, by refusing to allow her the liberty of being herself free.

“If you want to be certain of being in the number of the Elect, strive to be one of the few, not one of the many. And if you would be quite sure of your salvation, strive to be among the fewest of the few; that is to say, do not follow the great majority of mankind, but follow those who enter upon the narrow way, who renounce the world, who give themselves to prayer, and who never relax their efforts by day or night, so that they may attain everlasting blessedness.” -Saint Anselm, Father and Doctor of the Church

PRAYER TO SAINT JOSEPH, THE PROTECTOR OF CHRISTIAN FAMILIES Great Saint Joseph, who wast chosen of God to be the head of the holiest and most august of families, deign to cast thy eyes upon us, and take us this day under thy special protection. Holy Patriarch, model of the holiest faith, and of the most perfect virtues, obtain for all the members of this family grace to withstand the dangers and seductions of the world, and to remain stedfastly attached to the LORD. Obtain for us that, always united by the bonds of the most tender charity, and encouraging one another mutually in good works, we may taste under thy auspices the sweetness of that peace which JESUS has promised to His true disciples. But above all, when our last hour shall come, obtain for us that we may find grace before the Sovereign Judge, so that, reunited in heaven at the foot of Thy Throne, we may celebrate everlastingly the glory of GOD and thy praise. Amen.

St. Vincent Ferrer -- Sermon on the Last Judgment: In the same way, in the time of Antichrist, the Sun of justice will be obscured by the interposition of temporal goods and the wealth which Antichrist will bestow on the world, inasmuch as the brightness of faith in Jesus Christ and the glow of good lives will no longer shine among Christians. For, lest they should lose their dominion, temporal rulers, kings and princes will range themselves on the side of Antichrist. In like manner, prelates for fear of losing their dignities, and religious and priests to gain honors and riches, will forsake the Faith of Christ and adhere to Antichrist.

Neither living nor lifeless faith remains in a heretic who disbelieves one article of faith. The reason of this is that the species of every habit depends on the formal aspect of the object, without which the species of the habit cannot remain. Now the formal object of faith is the First Truth, as manifested in Holy Writ and the teaching of the Church, which proceeds from the First Truth. Consequently whoever does not adhere, as to an infallible and Divine rule, to the teaching of the Church, which proceeds from the First Truth manifested in Holy Writ, has not the habit of faith, but holds that which is of faith otherwise than by faith. Even so, it is evident that a man whose mind holds a conclusion without knowing how it is proved, has not scientific knowledge, but merely an opinion about it. Now it is manifest that he who adheres to the teaching of the Church, as to an infallible rule, assents to whatever the Church teaches; otherwise, if, of the things taught by the Church, he holds what he chooses to hold, and rejects what he chooses to reject, he no longer adheres to the teaching of the Church as to an infallible rule, but to his own will. Hence it is evident that a heretic who obstinately disbelieves one article of faith, is not prepared to follow the teaching of the Church in all things; but if he is not obstinate, he is no longer in heresy but only in error. Therefore it is clear that such a heretic with regard to one article has no faith in the other articles, but only a kind of opinion in accordance with his own will. (Saint Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologica, II-II, q. 5, a. 3)

Monday, November 19, 2018