Secret Finance Committee Meeting

Fellow Holy Spirit Parishioners…

I am VERY CONCERNED about what is going on in our parish!

Last week, Mr. Conrado Alvarado (Finance Committee Chair) was asked if the Parish Finance Committee was ever going to meet again. Mr. Alvarado indicated that the Finance Committee was supposed to have met last Monday, but the meeting had been canceled because Fr. Louie had been sick.

No parishioners were informed or were even aware of the scheduled Finance Committee meeting, in spite of the fact that the Finance Committee meeting has been a topic of discussion for quite some time, as there has been concern from many parishioners on whether or not the “new” Parish Finance Committee was going to honor the obligations of the previous Finance Committee, relative to funding of the Staff Pension Fund. (More information on this in the last Parish Underground Newsletter of 4/03/05).

Several long time parishioners have expressed a desire to be present at the next Finance Committee meeting to remind all of the old, remaining Finance Committee members that they were ALL ORIGINAL PARTIES to this obligation which, along with Fr. Jerry, was made on behalf of the entire Parish.

On Monday evening past, members of the [new, old, remaining] Peace and Justice Commission were at the Parish offices to attend their monthly meeting when they discovered that all of the parish offices had been locked, with the exception of the late comers door, which at the time was being manned by Mr. Conrado Alvarado.

He was previously observed allowing Oscar Cardenas, Ken Healy, Abdula Kalifa, etc, into the Parish offices. It was determined by the observing Peace & Justice Committee members that this looked much like a gathering of what now remains of the [old] Parish Finance Committee.

When a member of the Peace & Justice Committee asked Mr. Alvarado if he could attend the meeting, Mr. Alvarado informed him that he COULD NOT, as it was a CLOSED MEETING. He later stated that he did not have the authority to say that it was a closed meeting and indicated that Fr. Louis would be arriving shortly.

When Fr. Louis arrived, he informed the Peace & Justice Committee member that this was a PRIVATE MEETING. He said that he had every right to have a private meeting with anyone that he chose and that it shouldn't be a concern to anyone and that he would be glad to have a private meeting with anyone else who wanted one, if they would simply call his office to make an appointment. He stated that his right to have a private meeting should be respected and also stated that any meeting that was listed in the Sunday Bulletin would be considered a “Public Meeting” and that everyone would be invited to attend those meetings.

What is going on in our Parish? Is our Pastor and Chair of the Finance Committee now shutting interested parishioners out of our parish meetings? In the past, we were all graciously welcomed and thanked for showing an interest in the affairs of the parish by attending Parish meetings. Has this changed? Are we now doing things in total secrecy and are those remaining Finance Committee members all too weak to stand up to their priest and explain that what he is doing is WRONG and is not at all the norm at Holy Spirit Parish? Does there remain a leader among any of them?

PLEASE HOLY SPIRIT PARISHIONERS … OPEN YOUR EYES TO WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR PARISH. Above all, express your total dissatisfaction to your Finance Committee Members and to your PASTOR. Let them know with no uncertainty that this type of management style WILL NOT BE TOLERATED at Holy Spirit Parish!
-A VERY Concerned Parishioner



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