Diocesan finance councils, appointed by bishops, are supposed to provide a layer of accontability, and sometimes do.

Wall Street titans sit on his finance council and study his ledgers.

Even a member of the church's finance council expressed that view this week.

None of the members of the parish's finance council returned calls seeking comment.

Canon law required that such a large expenditure be approved by the finance council, Mr. Rogers said.

Canon law requires each parish to have a finance council to provide oversight.

Mr. Keane said the cardinal's "answer was yes, he could've put the money in there without needing approval of the finance council."

The agreement, they say, required further approval by the finance council and the signatures of all the parties.

The cardinal also testified that he had not signed the agreement because it would have been pointless unless the finance council authorized the money.

The finance council also advised Cardinal Law today to provide all the counseling victims and their families need.