There seems to be no end to the depressing news coming out regarding the leadership of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. It has just been disclosed that for a decade there have been repeated complaints regarding patterns of financial mismanagement and sexual abuse by some priests under Archbishop John R. Quinn. Tragically, this appears to be only the tip of the iceberg. Robert R. Bryan, our attorney, said Saturday: "The parishioners should not be paying for the mistakes of our leaders, especially with the closing of their churches." The front page of Sunday's San Francisco Examiner, in the first of a three part series, discloses:

For 10 years, complaints against a Bay Area Catholic Priest, the Rev. Martin F. Greenlaw, have ranged from the monetary to the moral - from alleged misuse of hundreds of thousands of dollars in parish funds to accusations of repeated violations of his priestly vows of celibacy.

In person and in writing, at least a dozen Roman Catholics - priests, nuns and lay parishioners - say they have taken their concerns and accusations to the Archdiocese of San Francisco. And there the complaints have died, they say.

Further, they say, the fact that Greenlaw seemingly has been rewarded despite the controversy that has dogged him for years is symptomatic of leadership failure in the archdiocese.

On May 1, Greenlaw became director of the archdiocesan office of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. His main job is to raise money for the Catholic Church's vast international missionary network. He is also on the archdiocese's advisory committee for Deposit and Loan, a multimillion-dollar fund the church uses to finance construction and to pay off debts. . . .

In the spring of 1993, parishioners' anxiety over Greenlaw's accounting was suddenly eclipsed by a shocking crime: At 5:21 p.m. on March 27, paramedics were called to Greenlaw's home . . . They found the priest in the bedroom, battered and near death. He had been beaten with a log.

Until the assault was announced in Masses, many at St. Paul's had no idea that their pastor owned a house - bought for $210,000 in 1985 and complete with a gazebo-style hot tub - or lived anywhere but in the recently redecorated priest's quarters in the rectory.

Among the items reported missing from the priest's home, richly furnished and equipped with hightech audio and video systems, were more than 30 credit cards. . . . police sources say sexually explicit tapes were found at the crime scene.

This situation is of concern to all Catholics, and is quite saddening. We pray for an end to the present moral crisis. All we desire is to humbly worship in peace.

Many parishioners wear white towels to Mass as a symbol of their commitment to Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church. Nearly six months ago Father Cyril O'Sullivan draped from the altar in Saint Brigid a large towel, which he explained represents our resolve to save this House of God and not give up. For his uncompromising dedication to Christ and the faithful, Father O'Sullivan was banished and silenced by the Archbishop.

The white towels should be a reminder that a large number of elderly parishioners and our youth will be irreparably harmed, if this Church is closed. Saint Brigid is exceptionally viable and vibrant, has a large attendance, and is financially self-supporting with $676,598.68 of our contributions remaining in the Church bank account. That money will be confiscated by the Archbishop if the Church closes.

We are on appeal to the Congregation for the Clergy in Rome, from the Decree of the Archbishop to close Saint Brigid Church. Our prayers are for an early victory, but we must prepare for all contingencies. In the event of an adverse ruling, we will appeal to the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. Our attorney, Robert Bryan, predicts that the litigation to save this Church could continue well into next year.

We have repeatedly offered to save Saint Brigid and a poor church, at no cost to the Archdiocese. As expressed by Robert Bryan in a June 15, 1994 letter to Archbishop Quinn:

We remain resolute in doing everything reasonably possible to save Saint Brigid Parish. To do any less would be contrary to the very essence of the teachings of Jesus Christ. I implore you to reconsider suppressing Saint Brigid. We again offer to raise all necessary funds to save not only our Church, but one that is poor. In the process two churches will be saved for Christ and the Roman Catholic Church, at no cost to the Archdiocese. In the spirit of the Lord and the Second Vatican Council, you should at least give us a reasonable opportunity to do this.

Write letters
Our leaders in Rome must understand the importance of saving Saint Brigid Church. Please write them. Feel free to give us your letters, which will be promptly sent by fax to Rome. They should be addressed to:

His Holiness Pope John Paul II
Supreme Sovereign of the Universal Church
00120 Vatican City State
Europe
(FAX: 011 396 6988 5088)

Cardinal Jose T. Sanchez, Prefect
Piazza Pio XII 300193
Rome, Italy
(FAX: 011 396 6988 4845)

Meetings of the Committee to Save Saint Brigid Church
The Committee to Save Saint Brigid Church meets here on our Church property Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. All who want to unite with us in this campaign to save the Parish, are welcome. We need you.

Prayer
We need to continue praying not only for the salvation of Saint Brigid Church, but also that our local leaders become more sensitive to the spiritual needs of the faithful.

Thank you for joining us in the campaign to save Saint Brigid Church. Everything we do is based upon a commitment to continue doing the work of Jesus Christ and the Roman Catholic Church in this community.

BSJ
Secretary