Atlanta archbishop apologizes over $2.2M mansion

ATLANTA (AP) -- The Roman
Catholic Archbishop of Atlanta
apologized Monday for building
a $2.2 million mansion for
himself, a decision criticized by
local Catholics who cited the
example of austerity set by the
new pope.

Archbishop Wilton Gregory
recently moved into a nearly
6,400-square-foot (595-square-
meter) residence. Its
construction was made possible
by a large donation from the
estate of Joseph Mitchell,
nephew of Margaret Mitchell,
author of "Gone With The Wind,"
the Civil War epic that made his
family wealthy. When Mitchell
died in 2011, he left an estate
worth more than $15 million to
the archdiocese on the
condition it be used for "general
religious and charitable
purposes."

Gregory said that he has
received criticism over the
spending in letters, emails and
telephone messages.
"I am disappointed that, while
my advisors (sic) and I were able
to justify this project fiscally,
logistically and practically, I
personally failed to project the
cost in terms of my own
integrity and pastoral credibility
with the people of God of north
and central Georgia," Gregory
said in a column posted on the
website of the archdiocesan
newspaper, The Georgia Bulletin.

"I failed to consider the impact
on the families throughout the
Archdiocese who, though
struggling to pay their
mortgages, utilities, tuition and
other bills, faithfully respond
year after year to my pleas to
assist with funding our
ministries and services," he
added.

The Catholic leader said he will
discuss the situation with
several diocesan councils,
including a special meeting of its
finance council. If church
representatives want the bishop
to sell the home, Gregory said he
will do so and move elsewhere.

The purchase of the sprawling
home was part of a real estate
deal made possible by money
from Joseph Mitchell's estate.
In his will, Mitchell requested
that primary consideration be
given to the Cathedral of Christ
The King, where he worshipped.
The cathedral received $7.5
million for its capital fund and
spent roughly $1.9 million to buy
the archbishop's old home,
according to tax records.

Cathedral officials are planning
to spend an additional $292,000
to expand Gregory's old home
so its priests can live there,
freeing up space on the
cathedral's cramped campus.
After selling his home, Gregory
needed a new residence.
The archbishop said that he
made a mistake while designing
a home with large meeting
spaces and rooms for receptions
and gatherings.

"What we didn't stop to
consider, and that oversight
rests with me and me alone, was
that the world and the Church
have changed," Gregory said.
He demolished the one-story
home on Mitchell's property,
which was donated to the
church, and replaced it with a
Tudor-style mansion. In January,
a group of local Catholics met
with the archbishop and asked
that he sell the large home and
return to his old residence. They
cited the example of Pope
Francis, who turned down living
quarters in a Vatican palace and
drives a simple car.

"The example of the Holy Father,
and the way people of every
sector of our society have
responded to his message of
gentle joy and compassion
without pretense, has set the
bar for every Catholic and even
for many who don't share our
communion," Gregory said.
___
Gregory's column in The Georgia
Bulletin:
commentary/2014/03/the-
archbishop-responds/

Reference: Yahoo News