This Focus Group is seeking answers to many questions in our desire to achieve greater financial transparency within our Church. Here are some of the questions we are working on:

• How transparent are the entities under which the diocese operates? Are the boards governing those operations acting as truly fiduciary bodies?
• Are the Financial Management Best Practices established by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops adhered to by our diocese? Are there best practices in place in other dioceses in the United States that should be brought to Pittsburgh?
• Financial transparency requires independent, lay oversight of financial functions. Currently, if a bishop or pastor appoints a member to a financial council, this is not achieved. How can we change this?
• How does the diocese compare with other dioceses in terms of financial transparency? Are there things that we can do in Pittsburgh to improve financial transparency?
• Given the current amount of claims brought to the diocese related to the sex abuse cases, shouldn’t the laity, who have contributed cash and property to the Church, know exactly where the money is coming from to settle these claims and how much has been spent?