Giving New Meaning To the Term "Installation Cost"....

Having declared bankruptcy last month, the diocese of Davenport is asking parishioners to provide the funding for the installation of incoming Bishop Martin Amos, to be held in two weeks.

[N]o money has been set aside for the celebration service because all the diocese's assets are under protection of the bankruptcy court. The diocese is taking donations throughout its 22 counties in southeastern Iowa to cover the costs.

Officials of the diocese have not said how they will cover the costs of the installation if donations fall short of the amount needed.

The church plans to save money by not offering a dinner at the reception held after the installation.

It has also abandoned a plan to show the service live on cable television. Instead, the ceremony will be shown on tape-delay on Mediacom Channel 11 in the Davenport area, which is owned by St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Montgomery says.

Amos' installation is planned for Nov. 20 at St. John Vianney Church in Bettendorf....

All the priests in the diocese have been asked to contribute toward the installation, and money is being raised in different ways.

In Bettendorf, for example, members of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church will find envelopes in the pews the weekend of Nov. 11-12. A special collection will be taken the weekend of Nov. 18-19, the Rev. Tim Sheedy says.

It's all well and good, of course -- so long as the people aren't shut out of the event after they've been asked to pay for it. Some of you may remember that happening not too long ago in Iowa; here's hoping it's different this time.

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