The Church: greatest benefactor, not a beggar

The Archdiocese of Malta will soon launch a fund-raising campaign to finance some of its initiatives. The Maltese have always reacted generously; in fact, during 2009 they contributed almost a quarter of a million more euros than they did in 2008.

The Church has been, and still is dear to them, and one would expect a generous reaction. But people would contribute more if the campaign is well focused and the information is presented in the most transparent way possible.

I was part of the team responsible for publishing the first aggregate accounts of the Archdiocese in the early 1980s. The religious orders and the Gozo diocese also started publishing audited annual accounts.

But now, while the Malta Archdiocese still publishes its accounts the religious orders and the Gozo diocese stopped publishing theirs.

The publication of the accounts in the 1980s was an apologetic exercise aimed at answering the unjust accusations levelled at the Church. Today the publication of the accounts has a new significance, as it should mainly be an exercise in transparency and accountability.

It is fitting that the publication of the accounts is accompanied by information about the pastoral work of the Church. The Church’s financial dimension makes sense only to the extent that it is at the service of evangelisation and pastoral work.

For many years, a proper set of accounts with notes and explanations, and an extensive report on pastoral activities was published. Now, unfortunately, we are down to three A5 pages of information on pastoral activities, a one-page income and expenditure account, and a one-page balance sheet.

This is not enough to enable anyone to make a mature and intelligent assessment. Suffice it to say that there is the sum of €4m under the heading ‘other income’. Fortunately for the Church, local journalists still tend to accept whatever is given to them without asking many questions. But this is an added problem as the questions people ask at grassroots level are not being asked and answered during such media events.

During the past three years, the aggregate accounts of the Archdiocese moved from a modest surplus of €168K to a great loss of €1m in 2008, and a deficit of €869K in 2009. Church homes lost €484K in 2008 and just over €100K in 2009 (Dar tal-Providenza has greater problems). The deficit on media activities increased from €539K in 2008 to €837K in 2009, though the services offered by the Church in this area were systematically curtailed.

The accounts show that the salaries of lay employees rose by €1m since 2007 while the low remuneration of priests, unfortunately, remained unchanged.

Despite the current controversy on feasts, the leaflet distributed during the press conference does not include one word about the expenditure on feasts. It is unfair on the Church as it gives the wrong impression that just €170K is spent on helping families – which is probably not much more than it spends on candles, incense and flowers.

These shortcomings notwithstanding, the Church still remains the greatest benefactor of the Maltese. Money given to the Church should not be described as alms. It should be looked at as the contribution of family members towards the well-being of the same family.

The Church is not a beggar. It should be proud that it is mainly financed by its members who should be constantly reminded of their duty and privilege to finance it.

joseph.borg@um.edu.mt