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“Decommissioning must not be the first and only solution to be thought of, nor must it ever be carried out with scandal on the part of the faithful” but should recall, at the same time, the “constant ecclesial teaching which, while teaching the duty to protect and preserve the goods of the Church, and in particular the cultural goods, declares that they have no absolute value, yet in case of need they must serve the greater good of the human being and especially in the service of the poor”.

The first of the eight beatitudes is:

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

What better could serve the poor in spirit than traditional Catholic churches?

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As rumors of sexual misdeeds swirled, Cardinal McCarrick became a powerful fundraiser for the Vatican

In 1988, McCarrick co-founded the Papal Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises millions for the Vatican. He sometimes rushed to the side of the country’s wealthiest Catholics in their times of personal crisis, following up to raise money later, according to two people who witnessed such interactions.