November 19, 2015
The Catholic Spirit • 1B
Archdiocesan Chancery Corporation Annual Financial Report • 2015
“T
Good stewardship in challenging times
he next archbishop is going to have to be up to the task of guiding the Archdiocese through its financial challenges.” “He’s going to have to be a great administrator who knows how to take advantage of the considerable lay expertise in this area.” “He’s going to have to put a premium on transparency.” These are all responses that I heard repeatedly during the 10 listening sessions held around the archdiocese in recent weeks. In listing the qualities that he looks for in a bishop, Pope Francis has repeatedly indicated that he’s hoping to name bishops who are joyful and prayerful witnesses to Christ’s resurrection, men with pastoral hearts who are “neighbors and servants” who will be “gentle, patient and merciful” shepherds for Christ’s flock. At the same time, he has recognized that it is “certainly helpful” that those shepherds “have the shrewdness of an administrator.” Being a good steward is
Archbishop Bernard HEBDA
part of being a good shepherd. The 2015 Annual Financial Report of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis published in this issue would surely confirm the common perception that the next archbishop is going to be confronted with some pressing financial challenges as he begins his ministry of service to this local Church. At the same time, the annual report illustrates that much is already being done to address those considerable challenges and to lay the groundwork for a return to long-term stability. I recognize that those positive developments are unfortunately overshadowed by the magnitude of the extraordinary costs, outside our normal operating budget, that are indicated in this year’s annual report. While our financial report refers to them as “Special Issues expenses,” they are more easily understood as the expenses associated with the bankruptcy process and the resolution of the civil and criminal claims that have been made against the archdiocese. The good news is that they are not annual costs that would be recurring in the future; the bad news, however, is that they are substantial. In any bankruptcy, the party petitioning for Reorganization bears the costs not only of its own attorneys, but also those of the creditors. I can assure you that those costs
are carefully scrutinized by the bankruptcy court as well as by our creditors. I can attest, moreover, that the archdiocese monitors those costs closely and is working with attorneys on all sides to try to minimize costs where we can. While the expenses associated with reorganization are great, the experience in other dioceses and similar situations suggests that these expenditures should best be seen as a solid investment not only in an efficient and equitable resolution of claims, but also in a Church that is better positioned to fulfill her mission. In the five months that I have been serving here as apostolic administrator “sede vacante,” I have been consistently impressed by the Archdiocese’s commitment to good stewardship. The members of the Corporate Board of Directors, the Archdiocesan Finance Council and the College of Consultors have all generously recognized that extraordinary times require extraordinary efforts. Their openness to new opportunities for collaboration has already brought about a fruitful exchange of ideas and experience that is proving to be invaluable in addressing head-on the serious challenges before us. They ask tough questions, set high standards, and are relentless in
making sure that in the midst of all the numbers and financial analysis we’re never losing sight of the moral imperative. As I have become acquainted with the community leaders serving in those roles, it is obvious to me that the archdiocese is benefiting from real expertise as well as good will. I am confident that a perusal of the annual report will highlight for you, as it did for me, the strides that are already being taken by the archdiocesan staff to help restore financial health to our operations. Our department managers attend monthly budget meetings to carefully review their expenditures in an effort to be as efficient and responsible as possible. While the current financial realities have necessitated a significant reduction in the size of the staff, the various archdiocesan offices have somehow managed to respond professionally to the needs of this local Church. Their joy and commitment to the Church have been great motivators for me. I realize that the archdiocese is only able to continue its good work because of your generosity. I thank you for that support and encourage you to read the annual report and to continue your prayers that the Lord will bless this local Church with a wise and prudent shepherd after his own heart.
Financial Officer Report Author’s note: The following comments elaborate on the financial statements of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Chancery Corporation (“Archdiocese”) that ended June 30, 2015. Condensed financial statements are included in this issue of The Catholic Spirit. The Management Discussion and Analysis and Financial Statement are posted at www.archspm.org on the Administration and Finance page. By Thomas Mertens, CFO
Introduction Since I last reported to you on our annual financial statements in November 2014, our Archdiocese filed for Reorganization under the Bankruptcy Code (January 2015). The path to this difficult decision has received much publicity, but bears review. At the time of release of our financial statements last year, the Archdiocese was facing an unknown number of claims due to the lifting of the civil statute of limitations for sexual abuse of minors until May 2016. The Archdiocese was considering all options to address this situation and archdiocesan leaders sought the best path to ensure fairness for victims of clergy sexual abuse and fairness for the faithful whose stewardship has made archdiocesan ministry possible. Archdiocesan leaders consulted with various representative clergy and lay leadership groups and with outside professionals about the decision regarding Reorganization. Archdiocesan leaders concluded that Reorganization was and is a way to respond to all victims by allowing the available funds to be equitably distributed to all who have made claims, not just those who have the earliest trial dates or settlements. The process we’re in now is actually bringing together the victims, the Archdiocese, parishes and insurers to come up with a fair and just settlement for all who have been abused and made claims. Compared to other diocesan bankruptcies nationally, it’s an unprecedented comprehensive process that has all sides working toward the same goal of healing and hope for a better tomorrow. Further, Reorganization would allow the Archdiocese a fresh start to adhere to reforms made to minimize the threat of this circumstance ever happening again and to continue its service and support of the faithful and the stewardship that makes archdiocesan ministry possible.
Before the Archdiocese filed for Reorganization in January, we had begun efforts to significantly reduce operating expenses and to be better stewards of the monies parishes contribute through assessments and other contributions received directly by the Archdiocese every year. In addition, we knew in order to weather the Reorganization process we would need to conserve our resources because much would be consumed as we engaged legal and other professionals in preparing for Reorganization and to assist with negotiating with insurance carriers and plaintiffs counsels. In November 2014, we made the painful and necessary decision to reduce our workforce and non-personnel expenses. These reductions resulted in almost $5 million in expense reductions, which was 20 percent of our entire annual operating expense budget. Total Operating Expenses, without Special Issues expenses, decreased from $30.5 million in 2014 to $22.9 million in 2015, a 25 percent reduction. After much analysis and consultation, the Archdiocese also made the difficult but necessary decision to place the Chancery, Archbishop’s Residence, Hayden Center, Dayton Building and the Hazelwood property on the market for sale. These buildings, which are located across from and behind the Cathedral of St. Paul and in Northfield, are being aggressively marketed for sale by Cushman & Wakefield/NorthMarq, and we have a signed purchase agreement for $4.5 million on the Hayden Center. The proceeds from their eventual sales will generate cash with the hope of and desire to help us move through Reorganization efficiently. Because our buildings have not yet sold, a new facility, which we would lease, has not been selected. It is our commitment to find property in an area where the Church’s presence can be an integral part of a neighborhood revitalization and renewal effort. We anticipate that the annual expenses of leasing office space will be neutral to current costs of maintaining our existing facilities. The reason we do all of these things is simple: To make sure the Archdiocese can continue its unique role in the Church’s mission by forming and assigning priests, ensuring those in hospitals and prisons are ministered to, providing parishes the support they need and ensuring people of all cultures and languages are evangelized and catechized. It is important to understand that this financial report
does not cover parishes, schools or other Catholic entities within the 12-county area that comprises the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. All of those organizations are separate legal entities and prepare their own financial accounting reports. It has been our practice since the year ended June 30, 2013, to release our full audited financial report to be transparent and accountable to our many stakeholders among the Catholic faithful. Indeed, almost 65 percent of our support for our valuable missions comes from parish assessments, which are the result of contributions to the local Church by parishioners. It is for this reason that Archbishop Hebda, the Archdiocesan Finance Council and I continue to support full transparency and timely reporting of our financial results. As you may recall, Fiscal Year 2014, which ended June 30, 2014, was the first year we did not receive an unqualified opinion from our certified public accounting firm. They issued a disclaimer of opinion and a going concern qualification as a result of our inability to provide an estimate of our liability related to ongoing litigation and claims of sexual abuse. At that time, we had pending claims and a significant number of notices of claims, with each claim being unique and requiring factual development to determine the liability, if any, that existed. As a result of our continued inability to estimate our liability related to sexual abuse claims at June 30, 2015, of which 416 sexual abuse claims were filed by the Aug. 3, 2015, timely filing deadline, we are not able to have an audit of our financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2015. In consultation with the Archdiocesan Finance Council and Corporate Board of Directors, we filed a motion with the Bankruptcy Court, and were granted approval, to allow our CPA firm to perform Agreed Upon Procedures on the Fiscal Year 2015. These procedures do not represent an audit and as a result you will not see an Independent Auditor’s Report attached to our financial statements. The Agreed Upon Procedures were developed by management in consultation with our CPA firm and will assist us in governance of the Archdiocese by requiring attestation procedures on key balance sheet accounts and internal controls. Our financial records are submitted on a monthly basis to the Bankruptcy Court and United States Trustee and are subject to their review. When we emerge from Reorganization, we intend to return to the standard practice of annual independent Continued on next page