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Wants versus needs: a year of re-evaluationPosted: 07.03.09 My dear friends: I am pleased to present the financial report of the Archdiocese of Miami for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008. This annual report reflects the financial stewardship practiced in the Archdiocese of Miami. When I wrote to you last year regarding finances, little did we know the magnitude of the challenges to come for our entire country. I will not go into all that has happened to the financial markets since then, as the media reports daily on the economic recession we are all facing. I do want to take a moment, however, to discuss the archdiocese’s financial situation in very simple terms which we all can relate to, and that is re-evaluating and redefining our wants and our needs. Simply stated, the Archdiocese of Miami cannot spend more than it can afford, and what we once thought were needs in actuality were wants. We wanted to have a school on every parish site and we wanted to have a parish in every neighborhood, but that is not the financial reality of today. Since April of 2008, the Church of Miami has undergone an extensive self-financial examination to address the many needs of its faithful. As a result of that examination, I have made many difficult and painful decisions, including a layoff of approximately 55 Pastoral Center employees; accepted the recommendations from eight pastors to close their parish elementary schools; and recently the announced proposal to merge eight parishes and six missions and apostolates. As individuals, we all need to live within our means, and the Archdiocese of Miami is no different. Economists report that as a nation, we are in our sixth recession since 1967. During these recessionary periods, we tend to forget the prosperity and countless blessings we have previously enjoyed. With each passing day we come closer to experiencing that prosperity once again, and blessings which cannot be measured by economists continue to be bestowed upon us each and every day – we only need to take the time to notice them. The Church of Miami will continue to grow and provide for the faithful in ways which may not be clear to us today, but as always the Lord will provide and bless the faithful abundantly. I remain extremely optimistic and confident that the Church of Miami and the faithful it serves will emerge from these difficult times financially stronger and, more importantly, spiritually strengthened as a Catholic community. During these difficult and challenging times, I want to thank you for generously sharing the gifts you have received from God. I sincerely believe that Our Lord will convey to you his special blessings and graces for all you have done to bring his love to the spiritually, emotionally and physically needy in this archdiocese. May the Lord continue to bless you and your loved ones abundantly. With personal good wishes, I am, Sincerely in the Lord,
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