c. 2005 Religion News Service

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. _ For most Catholics, there’s practically no difference between diocesan priests and religious order priests such as Franciscans or Stigmatines. Whether diocesan or holy order, all parish priests are dedicated to enhancing parishioners’ relationship with God.

But for the Rev. Thomas R. Champigny of Easthampton, Mass., the difference is about $2.4 million.

That’s how much he recently inherited from a former parishioner.

Despite a popular misconception that all priests take vows of poverty, only religious order priests do. Diocesan priests’ only vow is to obey their bishop.

Champigny is a diocesan or secular priest who is the pastor of Notre Dame du Bon Conseil Parish in Easthampton.

Champigny was the executor and inherited almost the entirety of the estate of Alma E. Riley, a widowed parishioner Champigny befriended when he was assigned to Blessed Sacrament Parish in Westfield almost 20 years ago. Only a Hummel collection went to one of Riley’s neighbors.

Riley, who was survived by a niece and a nephew, died at age 91 three years ago.

Though Champigny and officials from the Springfield Diocese were reluctant to discuss the issue of inheritances because each cited it as “personal business,” both said it isn’t uncommon for a priest to receive an inheritance from a parishioner.

“Other priests have had larger inheritances,” Champigny said.

He wouldn’t name any, but the recently retired Rev. John J. Ayers of Springfield was the sole heir to the $1.1 million estate of a former parishioner this year.

If Champigny or Ayers had been religious order priests, they would have been required to hand over their inheritances to their religious communities.

For instance, a Franciscan priest or brother who is left an inheritance _ whether from a family member or otherwise _ would be required to give it to his provincial community, according to the Rev. Michael Kolodziej, superior of the Franciscan order of Friars Minor Conventual for much of the eastern United States.

The money would be used for education or health care or other Franciscan needs, Kolodziej said.

Franciscan priests and brothers are also asked to give an accounting to superiors of gifts from special events such as ordinations or clerical anniversaries, according to Kolodziej.

“The minister superior will determine how much a priest keeps, if anything,” said Kolodziej.

“In the case of an inheritance, a priest will tell his superior, `My family has left me $2,000 or $3,000.’ The superior might say, `You can take $500 and the rest will be given to the order.’

Religious women such as the Sisters of St. Joseph and Sisters of Providence are bound by similar rules.

However, some distinctions are made. Although the Sisters of St. Joseph and Sisters of Providence take vows of poverty, they practice patrimony, which allows them to accept gifts of income or inheritance from relationships that predate their entry to their religious community. Though they can take ownership of those gifts, they are not to be used by them, according to Sister Joan C. Mullen, president of the Sisters of Providence.

Gifts could be passed along to others or the community.

Otherwise, gifts and inheritances over $100 are passed to the religious community, Mullen said.

“It is rooted in our belief that a member of our congregation would not have had exposure to the person giving the gift without participation in the congregation,” Mullen said.

This doesn’t apply to diocesan priests.

There is nothing in canon law that prohibits a diocesan priest from inheriting or accepting significant gifts or owning property, according to the Rev. Ladislas Orsy, a canon law expert who teaches at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Priests are often unaware of bequests before they are notified of it by a lawyer, according to a Springfield diocesan statement.

“The bequests should be seen in the nature they are given _ as a sign of thanks and gratitude by an individual for the dedication of a priest who ministered well,” said Mark E. Dupont, diocesan spokesman.

(OPTIONAL TRIM FOLLOWS)

Some church ethicists contend that although large gifts are permitted by canon law, they raise ethical questions about a priest’s ability to comply with a spiritual formation that urges them to live their lives in simplicity.

“While wealth acquisition is not a problem in itself for diocesan priests, a problem develops … when the parish priests acquire wealth disproportionate to that of parishioners,” said the Rev. Martin Calkins, a Jesuit priest and ethics professor at Santa Clara University.

“Being wealthy can erode the ministerial effectiveness of priests as it provides opportunities that consume the time of priests and turns his interest away from those of parishioners,” said Calkins.

MO/RB END RNS

(Bill Zajac is a writer for The Republican in Springfield, Mass.)