LINK A penthouse, limousines and private jets: Inside the globe-trotting life of Bishop Michael Bransfield - The Washington Post
Nice to see that your hard-earned church contributions are going to help the needy!
It was billed as a holy journey, a pilgrimage with West Virginia Bishop Michael J. Bransfield to “pray, sing and worship” at the National Shrine in Washington. Catholics from remote areas of one of the nation’s poorest states paid up to $190 for hotel rooms and overnight bus rides to the nation’s capital.
Unknown to the worshipers, Bransfield traveled another way. He hired a private jet and, after a 33-minute flight, took a limousine from the airport. The church picked up his $6,769 travel bill.
That trip in September 2017 was emblematic of the secret history of Bransfield’s lavish travel. He spent millions of dollars from his diocese on trips in the United States and abroad, records show, while many of his parishioners struggled to find work, feed their families and educate their children.
Pope Francis has said bishops should live modestly. During his 13 years as the leader of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, Bransfield took nearly 150 trips on private jets and some 200 limousine rides, a Washington Post investigation found. He stayed at exclusive hotels in Washington, Rome, Paris, London and the Caribbean.
Last year, Bransfield stayed a week in the penthouse of a legendary Palm Beach, Fla., hotel, at a cost of $9,336. He hired a chauffeur to drive him around Washington for a day at a cost of $1,383. And he spent $12,386 for a jet to fly him from the Jersey Shore to a meeting with the pope’s ambassador in the nation’s capital.
Bransfield was barred from public ministry in July after an internal church investigation found he had engaged in financial abuses and sexually harassed young priests, allegations Bransfield has denied. The Post previously obtained the investigative report and revealed its major findings, including that he spent $2.4 million of church funds on travel and gave $350,000 in cash gifts to other clerics.
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9 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Well, look at Jimmy Swaggert, Oral Roberts, Jim and Tammy and the 700 Club. They and all of their "southern brothers" and lavish spending and lifestyles. Poor old ladies being bilked by them! It's been going on for centuries with so called religious leaders. They might as well just rob a bank. People remain gullible therefore continue to support these organizations out of pure stupidity and gullibility. It continues to this day with many getting away with it.
2muchstupidity
Level 6
Nov 16, 2019
0
my favorite one is the camp-meeting guy.......every day gets 3-4 hundred people to ''plant a seed" at 1000 bucks a pop !!!its insane....
@mangro Now that is smart. Must go to that place to sell my elephants in my room.
What a rarity any big-time "religious leader" living modestly would be...the last one I can think of was Francis of Assisi........
AnneWimsey
Level 9
Sep 17, 2019
0
Well there is the Dalai Lama.
This not not just a problem in the churches, many non profits have the same type abuses. A reason for outside auditors. After uncovering a $30,000 embezzlement at one post, I made a nice chunk of change doing them for other posts. Almost all non profits including the churches have requirements for annual outside audits, very few ever have them. If we are going to continue to have not profit status in our tax code, we must demand that they have outside accountants verify their annual financials publicly.
glennlab
Level 10
Sep 13, 2019
5
This stuff happens all the time! Bishops, Televangelists, and so many other high ranking religious leaders do this shit. What a waste.
bradnyijuan
Level 7
Sep 13, 2019
2
A few years ago I had to do some work at Dulles International Airport. Being escorted to the restroom in the nearest hangar, a passenger jet was pointed out. The escort asked me what I thought it cost. I have never bought a plane, and said so.He then asked how many passengers I thought it might carry. I replied 75. He said 1. The owner. And he has 5 of them with a sixth on order. Each one cost 60 million and each one costs a million a year to keep them ready to fly. He uses them to spend weekends in Europe. Businessman? Clergyman? Who knows...
Holysocks
Level 8
Sep 13, 2019
1
2.4 million that the people gave to the church and he spent it on himself. Seems to be what many religious leaders enjoy doing.
What a disgusting excuse for a 'man of the cloth'.
silverotter11
Level 9
Sep 13, 2019
1
And of course he blames the staff. It's their fault just like the altar boys.
As an aside... What's up with the fancy hats? Do they focus special jesus ray's into their skulls?
TrailRider
Level 7
Sep 13, 2019
1
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