Archbishop Charles J. Chaput and other Catholic leaders have claimed that the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is in such dire financial condition that it must close some of its schools. Visit St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, though, and you quickly discover that the church, established in humility and simplicity, sits atop one of the most impressive collections of valuables in the world.
Meanwhile, especially locally, the spiritual mission is in tatters, and the leadership is having trouble engaging the faithful.
In any business, promotions are generally tied to raising the performance of the brand and managing the bottom line.
We know not whether Chaput entertains dreams of wearing the scarlet garments and gold ring of a cardinal, but his ascent thus far is due partly to his staunch defense of many of the church's conservative (read: outmoded) principles.
One of the church's most vocal bishops, Chaput is not shy about engaging in areas where the spiritual and secular spheres collide. His rise to prominence also derives from his ability to function as what the casinos call a cooler: a person hired to stop a losing streak and restore order.
Clearly, the archdiocese is mired in a losing streak. Despite increases in overall membership, dwindling Mass attendance (read: donations) and frustration with a sexual-abuse cover-up indicate the sermon is not reaching the masses.
To be fair, Chaput has waded into an archdiocese smeared by arguably the worst scandal in its history, and one that his predecessors did little to ameliorate.
But thus far, his efforts to restore trust have been deficient.
In the school-closing process, Chaput's blue-ribbon panel essentially employed a bait-and-switch tactic, motivating school backers to generate funding to avert closures.
The archbishop also encouraged the faithful to press their legislators for school vouchers to defray the costs of Catholic education.
And even as the core value of education was being threatened, Chaput focused on the intrusion of federally mandated contraceptive coverage into the church's sphere of influence - an issue far outside the daily concerns of many practicing Catholics. Overall, these efforts seemed more political than spiritual.
At the heart of the inconsistent message is the church's infatuation with displays of power.
For an organization that urges simplicity and deference to God, the church sure enjoys opulence.
And if it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, many of those who took a vow of poverty should revise their plans for the next life.
Here's a quick fund-raising idea: Petition the pontiff to sell some of the hoarded valuables; with the price of gold hovering around $1,750 an ounce, the proceeds could fund a lot of education.
Of course, creative financing can only help the balance sheet.
Restoring the trust of the faithful is far more crucial.
In the abuse scandal, the old shepherds seemed concerned about safeguarding the wolves instead of keeping the sheep.
For long-term success, Archbishop Chaput and the Catholic Church must reintroduce themselves as working to teach, to enrich, and, yes, to protect their flock.