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According to a statement from Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and Chief Development Officer Timothy J. Potter, 1,700 envelopes were sent in three packages via FedEx on Wednesday, Oct. 30 and Thursday, Oct. 31.
The packages containing pledges and gifts from parishioners never arrived at their destination, and the tracking numbers for the packages were never entered into the system.
The Diocese believes roughly 500 of the envelopes may have included sensitive financial information such as cash, checks, or credit card details.
“We are not ruling out foul play,” the Diocese said, adding that they have notified law enforcement and are working closely with FedEx to determine what happened.
The affected donations are believed to have been submitted between Oct. 28 and Oct. 31. Envelopes received outside of that timeframe were not impacted, the Diocese assured parishioners.
In response to the incident, the Diocese has updated its procedures for handling donations. “All packages are now brought directly to a FedEx store where they are scanned, and we receive a receipt and tracking information,” the statement said.
The Diocese urged parishioners to monitor their credit card and bank accounts for any irregularities and to contact the Development Office with any concerns.
“Giving to charity should be a joyful experience, so it is distressing that an action beyond our control may have impacted even a small number of our faithful supporters,” said the Diocese, adding that the situation could deter others from donating.
Officials stressed the importance of the Ministries Appeal, which funds vital programs such as Catholic Charities.
The Paterson Diocese is comprised of Morris, Passaic, and Sussex counties.
Anyone with questions is encouraged to call the Development Office at 973-777-8818, ext. 215.
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