June 30, 2006 -
Catholic Dioceses Encouraged to Produce Comprehensive Financial Reports: Archdiocese of Boston Honored
PHILADELPHIA, PA, JUNE 28, 2006: The National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management (Leadership Roundtable) today encouraged all Catholic Dioceses around the country to produce comprehensive, audited, consolidated and consolidating financial reports and pledged to be of assistance to dioceses in this pursuit. The Leadership Roundtable believes such openness, honesty and transparency in Church finances will promote a clearer understanding of the financial needs of the Church and inspire all members of the Church to participate more actively in meeting those needs.
Speaking at the Leadership Roundtable’s Annual Meeting at The Wharton School of Business, Executive Director Kerry A. Robinson, commended the Archdiocese of Boston and other dioceses that produce consolidated financial reports which are reader-friendly, and comprehensive. Robinson said, “The Leadership Roundtable encourages all dioceses to emulate the Boston Transparency Project and incorporate this as standard practice in their annual finance reporting. Such financial disciplines will provide laity an opportunity to respond to the fiscal needs of the Church and to contribute more effectively and generously in order to strengthen the Church’s mission.”
In recognition of the excellence of the Boston Transparency Project, the Leadership Roundtable awarded its inaugural Best Practices Award to the Archdiocese of Boston, MA, for producing the first ever consolidated report of the financial health of that Archdiocese.
The Leadership Roundtable’s Chairman, Mr. Geoffrey T. Boisi, in presenting the award, noted: “The Boston report is a great exemplar of the comprehensive, consolidated, audited, and read-friendly financial reporting the Leadership Roundtable is calling for. I hope the NLRCM offer to assist other dioceses to produce similar reports will be accepted. The benefits of such transparency have already been felt in the Archdiocese of Boston.”
The Leadership Roundtable’s Director of Research and Client Services, Mr. John Eriksen pledged: “The National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management stands ready to work with any diocese that desires assistance in putting together a comprehensive financial report including templates for budgets and strategic plans. Leadership Roundtable members have the expertise and experience to work together with Bishops and other Diocesan Finance Offices and Finance Councils to extend and improve upon existing financial reporting mechanisms.”
The Leadership Roundtable is comprised of 225 senior executives from the worlds of business, finance, law, academia, philanthropy, nonprofits and Church ministry, working together with over forty bishops to offer Church Leaders the resources, skills and talents of the laity for the good of the Church. Many of these senior executives and bishops are participating in the two-day Leadership Roundtable Annual Meeting which has as its theme: Bringing our Gifts to the Table: Creating Conditions for Financial Health in the Church.
The Leadership Roundtable mission is to promote excellence and best practices in the management, finances and human resources development of the Catholic Church in the U.S. by greater incorporation of the expertise of the laity.
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