Swiss Parishes Accused of Illegal Handling of Church-tax Dollars

Edit:  the battle continues in the interesting Diocese of Church against the corruption of the Church-tax system which allows a bloated Old Liberal bureaucracy to oppress the Canton’s Catholics.  It’s an important battle as paying your Church-tax is a matter of Church membership in some parts of Europe.  The local Bishop has already indicated that being designated as a Catholic for tax purposes need not be the same as being a Catholic and that Catholics may opt out of the system if they wish.  Hardly surprising since so much of the official apparatus actually undermines the Church and the Bishop himself.

Schwyz, 04/08/13 (Kipa) Hot heads could be attending the next meeting of the Catholic Canton Swiss Church Council of 26 April. Delegates are confronted with the accusation of breaking laws because some Church congregations have withdrawn funds from Democratic scrutiny. The accusation comes from the former president of the Cantonal Administrative Court, Werner Bruhin. Today he faces the "Legal Department" of the Cantonal Church.

Aerial View of Schwyz  (Image: de.academic.ru /)

The Cantonal Church Council has determined that provide various parishes have made "significant contributions" to ecclesiastical foundations, writes Bruhin in the "Annual Report 2012" of the Cantonal Church. The money would not serve the ongoing maintenance of buildings, but inserted in endowment funds. This action by the church council is viewed as "problematic" if not "inadmissible”.

This “Fund” [Fondierung] approach undermines the principle of fiscal sharing. The purpose of which would be lost if communal revenue sharing funds of parishes and thus revenue sharing contributions are marked for "reinvestment" in favor of third parties, in this particular case, for the use of foundations. This “Fund" is contrary to the Budget Law, which advances in specialized lending are allowed only if the assigned revenue expenditure is temporarily covered. It is only permissible means for the ongoing effort to be devoted to the endowments, but not for Funds [Fondierung].

"Chur" tricked?

The Cantonal Constitution abiding by the Cantonal Church and the Church communities, have organized themselves according to democratic principles, Werner Bruhin wrote. If resources are moved to a parish church foundation, “then the parish can no longer have it available." Rather, the Board of Trustees determine the use of funds.

These have also have to “audit the episcopal approval for decisions". This goes beyond the current management, as had been agreed between the Diocese of Chur and the Cantonal Church. Furthermore, is the “the investment of collected tax funds in stock is prohibited,” insists Bruhin.

Church taxpayers are snubbed

The proceeding of the congregations could be met by many Catholics on its head and urge them to leave the Church, warns Bruhin. The tendency of the church exit could be increased, "if only Catholics bound to the Church are loosely related to taxpayers’ money being hoarded in funds over which the parish has no determination.”

According to annual report 2012, Switzerland's Cantonal Church late last year had about 400 less members than at the beginning of the year, although the population has increased slightly in the Canton. On 1 January 2013, the Catholic Church had just over 96,000 members in the Canton of Schwyz.

Bruhin hopes that the leaders of some parishes improve its "understanding of constitutional and democratic process." The Cantonal Church Council hopes that the situation will improve by "cooperation and education" and "a mechanism of sanctions will not have to be employed.”

(Kipa / gs / am)

Link to KIPA...