JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and life that is daily KC

The moneychangers who have been instrumental in St. Ann Catholic Church finding a chapel that is new

About 10 months ago, we composed a post en titled “Good Catholic men building a killing in the pay day loan company.”

That post actually hit a neurological. It had hundreds of views across the time We posted it in September 2014, and since then this has drawn more views than just about every other post that is past.

Yesterday and after this, the sheer number of views spiked, when you look at the wake associated with the Star publishing on its web site an account in regards to the government that is federal a huge, online payday lending procedure run by Timothy Coppinger and Frampton T. Rowland III.

To provide you with concept associated with range for the procedure, between 2012 and 2013, Coppinger’s businesses issued $28 million in payday advances and withdrew significantly more than $46.5 million from people’s bank records.

Here’s how dirty were the transactions of these businesses: almost all the victims hadn’t really used for loans but had provided sufficient private information about on their own to provide lenders use of their checking reports. The lenders then deposited “loans” within the people’s records and systematically withdrew “interest” payments. Numerous victims didn’t recognize for the number of years that these were being fleeced.

Coppinger ended up being one of many “good Catholic men” I published about back 2014. He originates from a family members this is certainly a pillar of Visitation Catholic Church, 51st Terrace and principal.

One other household we composed about had been the Hodes family members, also of Visitation. Like Coppinger, Chris and Vince Hodes had Visitation Catholic class and Rockhurst tall and soon after went to the cash advance business.

The Hodes family, additionally of Visitation, has owned a rather plumbing that is successful company (they usually have related organizations, too) since 1943. No one through the Hodes household needs to have any need whatsoever to be when you look at the lending business that is payday. There should be loads of company, and earnings, to create everyone delighted for a lifetime.

You don’t have to be a psychologist to understand what drove these “good Catholic men” into the seamy company of exorbitant payday advances — GREED.

But there’s more to this story — and much more Catholics with greedy fingers — than Tim Coppinger and Vince and Chris Hodes.

Coppinger and Vince Hodes are actually people in St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Prairie Village. So might be Coppinger’s partner that is payday-lending Frampton (“Ted”) Rowland, and Stephen and Julie Zanone.

The Zanones had been principals in a company called MMG, that the state of Maryland fined and banned from working in Maryland year that is last these were recharging interest as high as 1,000 % or even more on payday loans…Maryland legislation limits yearly interest levels to 24 or 33 %, with respect to the types of loan made. (Missouri requires a comparable legislation but probably won’t get one when in the future due to the conservatives’ stranglehold in the General Assembly.)

Coppinger, this season picture, holding a trophy for winning a poker competition at St. Ann’s Catholic Church

Stephen and Julie Zanone

To be reasonable, none for the individuals We have known as have actually faced unlawful costs. Nevertheless they have to reply to the Kansas City community, and five of them — Coppinger, Rowland, Vince Hodes together with Zanones — have to respond to with their faith community, St. Ann’s.

You may think that individuals who will be making oodles of cash by gouging individuals in serious straits might have the gumption to help keep a profile that is low. That does not appear to be the way it is utilizing the five individuals called into the paragraph that is previous.

Many years ago, St. Ann’s established a money campaign aided by the goal that is primary of funds to create a chapel right beside the church, which will be on Mission path, between 71st and 75th roads. The church has raised nearly $7 million toward its aim of $8.5 million, additionally the chapel happens to be built, nevertheless the inside is maybe not quite completed.

Whenever churches have actually money drives, they often designate “lead givers,” or they’ve “steering committees” to lead the drive and set the example for any other parishioners or congregants. We discovered today from a second-hand supply — but a source that We trust — that the lead givers at St. Ann included Tim Coppinger and his spouse; Vince Hodes along with his spouse; Ted Rowland along with his spouse; in addition to Zanones.

I do believe its fair to assume that most of them made significant pledges to the campaign. In addition, in so far as I understand, Rev. Keith Lunsford, the pastor, had no qualms about accepting money from people who made millions from the backs of the indegent.

The Pitch and investigative reporter David Hudnall have actually led the way in which from the payday-lending tale, and Kansas Citians may be grateful Hudnall has taken straight straight right back the curtain with this situation that is ugly.

His expose that is first came December 2013. He started that whole story by having a conversation associated with the influx of “new cash” at St. what is installment loans Ann, which parishioners had started to notice. Hudnall anonymously quoted one parishioner as saying:

“People regarding the finance committee together with college board had been speaing frankly about the morality of using that cash. However in the end, I think they simply seemed one other method.”

Whenever Hudnall asked Fr. Lunsford concerning the income surge, Lunsford stated, “I don’t have any knowledge that is firsthand of at St. Ann mixed up in payday-loan industry.”

Listed here are my observations…

First, Lunsford should have had his eyes shut and their arms over their ears. Needless to say, he didn’t have “firsthand” knowledge. Coppinger and Rowland weren’t likely to approach him and state, “Father, we’re making a king’s ransom in the loan that is payday, and then we wish to share the bounty utilizing the church.”

But all Lunsford needed to probably do— and did but wouldn’t acknowledge — was to consider the foundation!

Just like the parishioners, he previously to own heard that several of their everyone was neck deep in the loan that is payday, and he need to have had the courage to confront them then turn their back on the filthy lucre.

Second, each time we glance at that new, multi-million-dollar chapel, i shall think of Jesus (yes, he additionally rates bold-face kind) angrily denouncing the moneychangers within the temple and chasing them down having a whip he fashioned away from cable.

The Gospel of Matthew quotes Jesus as saying, ” My house will be called the household of prayer; but ye are making it a den of thieves.”

Yesterday’s moneychangers are today’s lenders that are payday. Woe betide them.

The brand new chapel at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Prairie Village