NEWSDAY on Father Murr

By Fr. Wilson ( articles ) | Apr 07, 2004

NEWSDAY, the Long Island-based newspaper, has a story in tomorrow's edition about the resignation of Father Charles Murr as pastor of St Francis de Sales.

One detail the story does not bring out is most disturbing: Fr Murr acted in consultation with the Archdiocese. His decision not to renew the contracts of the principal and vice principal was acceded to by the archdiocesan schools office. The financial officers of the Archdiocese only found out that the school had not been filing financial reports because Fr Murr told them. He explained to them in detail that the principal had repeatedly been obstructive in coming forth with requested fiscal data, so that no one today knows what kind of fiscal shape that school is in.

It's quite something when a pastor reaches a difficult decision in consultation with his diocese, only to be undercut later. Personally, I can only conclude that Cardinal Egan is not in possession of the facts; that the situation in that school has been misrepresented to him by subordinates. A memo exists from the parish council -- an extremely impressive group of committed, young, orthodox Catholic professionals, well known in their fields, whom Father Murr extensively consulted whenever he had a decision to make -- and the facts they set forth in this memo in support of Fr Murr seem devastating.