A Business Plan for the Catholic Church

It may seem that the current economic situation would make business suspect as a model to be followed in Church management. However, the economic crisis is the effect of imprudent management and greed, which does not characterize all businesses.

Even a fiscally well-managed Catholic Church will continue to suffer from human failings. Therefore, after business leaders improve the money side of things, it might be helpful if a group of psychiatrists made themselves available to address the interpersonal shortcomings that are the real reason for losing members and squandering talent.

I probably have no right posting a comment here, considering that I'm probably, an excommunicant. If I am to believe what the priests who ignored me, the monsignors bishops cardinals and popes, who abandoned me, the nuns who taught me, and the brothers who molested and abused me, instilled in my pea brain! I'm not of a certainty here, I've asked no one that specific question. I may be afraid of the answer, however I arrogantly refuse, at this age, to again endure the indignation and humiliation of sitting amongst my peers, while being told that the "acts", that I was participant in, were sinful! And unless I confessed with a contrite heart and mind, and vowed abstinance of that sin, and the occaision thereof, I'm out! I "lived" in the occaision! (read, Catholic owned and administered orphanage/asylum for boys! Asylum? from WHAT?)
When these "sins" were confessed week after week, to the same priest, whose rooms I cleaned on a daily basis, and given more and more "pennance" to perform, he finally condemned me to hell! I've spent most of the last 57 years waiting for God to collect His due. I know that I am not welcome at the sacraments, I have not participated and will not! Who I am and what I've done and what has been done to me, will be judged, by God! I pray daily for His mercy for all of us! Perhaps you will forgive me my tendencies toward scepticism, pessimism and mistrust of the church and her minions, clergy and laity! Then again, perhaps you won't! If not, you are part of the churchs problem!
According to the "teachings" of the afore mentioned group of clergy, Jesus founded His "church" on the "rock" of Peter! Not His sovereign state, Not His business. Not His foreign policy. His CHURCH! The tenets and precepts He gave were for the salvation of human souls, not the propagation and preservation of wealth, power and position in world politics! Or American polotics for that matter.
I find it very telling that one of the first criticisms of the churchs "business model" was the less than business like handling of the child molestation issue! (OK so I'm obsessed!) The offer from the highly successful business group was to offer a post mortem on the "containment" of the scandal! Don't that tell ya'll something?
It tells me, pessimitic as I am, that these men are focused, as is the church, on $105 billion dollars/year. I also don't know the bible very well, OK hardly at all, but I seem to remember somewhere, that He bade the apostles, "Go ye forth and teach ye all nations!" If memory serves, there was something about, " don't worry about your clothes, or your shoes or how you'll eat, you will be taken care of!' And I think, something about, if your reception is not to your liking then "shake the dust from your feet, and go elswhere!"
I don't believe that any of you actually believe that stuff, and you are communicants! Why does a totally unworthy, ignored, abandoned, ignorant, uneducated, excommunicant like me believe it? And why does it bother me so much?
I have not "lost my faith!" My faith is in God! Don't you get it? We have lost our church to Mammon! We must begin the grieving process ,and relinquish the $105 billion/year, to the heirarchy. Let them have it, your soul is worth more! Do not drink any more of the Kool Aide!
Please God! Have mercy on, and bless us all!
James Edward

I believe that the official Church has major work to do to re-earn its credibility among the people---Catholics and non-Catholics alike. While there are several areas that the official Church must work on---management skills are certainly one of these areas.

I just hope that Cardinals, Arch/Bishops do realize that the Church must re-build. I sometimes wonder if any Cardinals, Arch/Bishops read this website or other Catholic websites, for that matter, to see what rank-and-file Catholics think about their leadership within the Church. I would hope that they would. And I would hope that they would take seriously the advice being given by these business execs.

These articles spell out so much to my poor one celled brain.
I finally understand why the "Bishops" want to pillory Joe Biden as a Sinner and excomminucant (is that a word?) They are afraid of an "Obama" presidency because it will be a Democratic administration and they lose political "footing"(read "protection from prosecution! and power of numbers in their constituency) At this age I know that nothing in Politics and big money (synonyms aren't they Sister?), "just happens!"
Involvment of the "laity" in the performance of the liturgy is tantamount to the change of the paradigm, for "laity" to "Associates" Feeding the corporate line that the fate of the church is in their hands and every time the church loses a dime, so does each and every "associate", 'cause it's YOUR CHURCH! "You are an ASSOCIATE," will soon replace, "You are going to HELL!"
Church belongs to hierarchy, and associates don't get any! Been there, done that! Hierarchy gets the gold mine! Associates get the shaft!
These same paradigm changers are the best and the brightest who made our economy what it is today! I think I remember something about this in the Bible. Was it "The sermon on Wharton Campus"? No now I remember, it had something to do with "moneychangers" (is there a corollary here?) and something called a "scourge!" We don't have those any more. Do we?
At the risk of repeating myself, what we are are witnessing is not the second comming of Christ, but the second fall of Rome!
Can you say ARROGANCE? Can you spell ARROGANCE? Can you define ARROGANCE?
I been to seven county fairs and a billy goat race, and I ain't never seen anything like this!