Priestly living in the OC

Priestly living in the OC

A lot has been made of this article in the California “alternative” newspaper, Orange County Weekly that lists very expensive homes where a number of priests live in the Diocese of Orange, California. But apart from the $1.1 million home where the bishop lives, the article does not say that the other houses are owned by the Diocese. Just because a priest lives there, doesn’t mean the Church bought the house. Many people are under the false impression that diocesan priests take vows of poverty. They do not, and some of them have family wealth that allows them to own substantial properties.

I’m not saying that it’s okay for priests to live in luxury or for a bishop to live in a multi-million dollar house when the diocese is saying it doesn’t have the money for basic services and is laying off workers. Still, I think there’s more flash than substance to the story, and it appeared to be writer Gustav Arrellano’s opportunity to attack the Church and make fun of our beliefs.

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