MERRIMACK (NH)
Foster’s Daily Democrat
MERRIMACK, N.H. (AP) — In large part because of the priest sexual abuse scandal, parishioners at St. John Neumann Catholic church are keeping church collections in the parish, rather than sending them to the Diocese of Manchester.
Church attendance is down 11 percent from last year and 20 percent of those attending mass say they’ve either reduced or stopped contributing to the church.
According to a church survey, most of those who stopped or cut their contributions cited the priest sexual abuse scandal or Bishop John McCormack. Some also cited the theft of the Christmas collection by the pastor.
“People are withholding money because they are angry with the bishop,” said parishioner Ed Kirby. “And they think if they put money in the collection pan, it will end up in the bishop’s hands to pay (sex abuse) victims.”
