Statement from James C. Smith, General Chair Regarding the Lawsuit Brought by The Foundation for the Advancement of Catholic Schools against Archbishop Leonard P. Blair
The Hartford Bishops' Foundation, Inc.
Statement from James C. Smith, General Chair
Regarding the Lawsuit Brought by The Foundation for the Advancement of
Catholic Schools against Archbishop Leonard P. Blair
October 15, 2021
An article published in the Hartford Courant on October 8, 2021 reported on the lawsuit recently brought by The Foundation for the Advancement of Catholic Schools (FACS) against Abp. Leonard P. Blair. While The Hartford Bishops' Foundation, Inc. (HBF) is not a party to the lawsuit, the lawsuit and the article make reference to HBF and the governance role and authority of its Board of Directors (Board) in a manner that is inaccurate.
HBF is an independent nonstock corporation designated as a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit public charity affiliated with the Archdiocese of Hartford (Archdiocese). It is a separate legal entity from the Archdiocese. The purpose of HBF is to promote our Catholic mission, provide guidance to Abp. Blair in non-religious matters and gather, invest and distribute resources in support of institutions of the Roman Catholic Church affiliated with The Hartford Roman Catholic Diocesan Corporation.
HBF is structured as a membership organization that is governed by the Board which is comprised of the Archbishop of Hartford and up to sixty (60) individuals, a large majority of whom are lay directors representing businesses, foundations, not-for-profits and other community organizations from across the Archdiocese. The members of HBF, collectively referred to as the Corporate Diocesan Members (CDM), are the Archbishop of Hartford, the Moderator of the Curia of the Archdiocese and a priest of the Archdiocese appointed by the Archbishop. The CDM appoints HBF directors upon recommendations from the Nominating Committee of the HBF Board.
Abp. Blair serves as the President of HBF, he is an individual member of the Board and does not possess unilateral authority over the organization. The Board has authority over the governance of HBF, including its fundraising initiatives and granting policies that comply with the overall objectives of its organizational documents.
Further, the assertion in the lawsuit that HBF is a competing entity with FACS is completely without merit. While HBF supports Catholic education across the Archdiocese by providing direct funding to support Catholic school operations, HBF does not solicit or administer scholarship funds, specifically because HBF acknowledges and respects that raising and distributing scholarship funds is the primary mission of FACS.
I appreciate this opportunity to provide clarity regarding the governance and purpose of HBF.
