Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston Tries To Move Forward From Bransfield Scandal

WHEELING -- More than two years after disgraced former bishop Michael Bransfield left the state of West Virginia at the Vatican's order, some signs of recovery to the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston are easily spotted.

First, there's the new WVU Medicine sign at Wheeling Hospital, founded by the Catholic Church in 1850. It marks new ownership brought in after questionable practices at the hospital under Bransfield's watch led to a $50 million judgment against it by the U.S. Department of Justice.

There's Ginny Favede, the new president of Wheeling University, a woman drawn from business and politics rather than ministry. The university is on probation from the Higher Learning Commission, an academic accrediting agency.

But, it remains open and is slowly regrowing its enrollment, according to the diocese.

The Most Rev. Mark Brennan, Diocesan bishop, is cautiously hopeful these changes and quieter ones are working to restore faith to the faithful.

Jeannie Kirkhope is wary, however.

She is a West Virginia Catholic who has served past the Bransfield tumult as co-director of the Catholic Committee of Appalachia (CCA) alongside the late Michael Iafrate of Wheeling. The CCA was critical of Bransfield before and since his 2018 retirement and subsequent removal from ministry.

Kirkhope said many Catholics she knows remain wounded, angry and skeptical that meaningful change has occurred within the Diocese — or is even possible.

LONG ROAD HOME

Brennan said he looks to church history when facing the Vatican's daunting call to restore a wounded church community. He is particularly intrigued by how the church functioned during its early centuries, when persecution was fierce to fatal, but faith flourished anyway.

"I'm not, by nature, a cockeyed optimist," Brennan said of his hope the diocese can come out of trouble in similar fashion. But "I do have reason for hope that we can move forward, bring the gospel to more people and grow the church."

In terms of moving forward, he pointed to local changes at both Wheeling Hospital and Wheeling University. But, he said two internal structural changes so quiet they are likely not on the radar screen of many diocesan members likely carry more recovery weight.

They are about transparency and accountability, he noted, and include bringing lay members (including women) into diocesan councils overseeing financial and pastoral work.

The former is connected to his decision to throw open the diocesan annual financial audit when he became bishop. "It's all out there for people to see," Brennan said of where church money is going.

Such information became an issue when an internal church investigation in 2019 found Bransfield used millions of dollars in church funds for luxuries ranging from daily fresh flowers to a personal chef to cash gifts to fellow Catholic clerics.

Looking at the details of the two program changes, Brennan said the pastoral council reworking also gives lay members a chance to both be heard by church officials and to listen to their fellow lay members' concerns.

The changes were democratic, he noted.

Each of the 96 parishes and 18 missions in the diocese was asked to nominate a lay member as candidate for the pastoral council, Brennan said. Those nominees were voted upon in each of six regions in the state, with the top three vote-getters from each region joining the council.

Lay members now make up two-thirds of the board, which has had two meetings so far this year.

"To my delight ... we have a half dozen or more young people, one a senior in high school ... It's not done by just us grayheads," Brennan said of one element of the new representation.

The broader board will also help with accountability, he added. "They can keep their ear to the ground to see what's going on, what ... issues we need to deal with."

On the emotional and spiritual side of the recovery, Brennan said "just showing up" may go a long way. While such efforts were hampered during COVID, he regularly hits the road (driving his own car) to visit parishes for entire weekends.

He said such visits are helping him gauge spiritual temperature. He believes the southern parishes - far from the Wheeling epicenter of problems - seem to be recovering more quickly.

"Nobody liked the scandals, whether locally or statewide," Brennan said. "But people are saying, 'I'm not going to leave my church, I love praying to the saints and receiving the Holy Eucharist.'"

In the northern parts of the state - particularly in Wheeling and Morgantown - he acknowledges there are different feelings. "There's still a lot of hurt and anger. We're working on healing circles."

The healing circles bring groups together to talk about their experiences and emotions. He said he is committed to their success for the sake of today's 75,000 state Catholics and those the church may reach or restore to the diocesan fold.

"Spiritually, you cannot dwell on injuries and offenses against you or your loved ones," Brennan said. "You cannot stay there or you poison your spirit. You have to deal with it, not deny it."

BUMPY ROAD

Not so fast, said Kirkhope of the CCA.

"I'd say 'seething' describes many West Virginia Catholics more than 'healing,' " Kirkhope said.

"There is still a general 'ugh' and headshaking whenever (Bransfield's) name is said, and opinions are still strong across the state."

Kirkhope said a quick check with contacts in the northern and southern sections of the diocese before her interview revealed common themes.

Some want Brennan and the Vatican to press for more apology and restitution from Bransfield than has been made thus far, she said. There is also high interest in Brennan issuing a formal apology on behalf of the diocese even though he was not personally involved.

The CCA itself would like more opportunity to meet with Brennan, Kirkhope said. After an initial meeting - which raised hopes - she said Brennan has not engaged the group.

"Even if Bishop Brennan is a nice guy, it hasn't changed our opinion of the hierarchy of the church," Kirkhope said. "That's not just the stuff in West Virginia. That's globally."

Kirkhope said some of her constituents are pleased with the healing circles, but others prefer "restorative justice circles."

"There's still a major lack of trust and lack of respect," Kirkhope said of West Virginia Catholics who are reluctant to forgive and move on in the way the diocese is asking.

She noted the timing of forgiveness seems to largely be about proximity.

"There will be people that will never recover," Kirkhope said of a circle of damage connected to Bransfield. "Then there are those who were not as intimately involved. They're just tired of being angry. That's why they're moving on."