Bishop's Suggestion for Bachelor Farmer's Estate Draws Criticism

Des Moines Register:

The Bishop’s initial letter dated March 7 begins with the line, “Some gifts unexpectedly fall from heaven.”
In the fifth paragraph he writes, “As Bishop, I assure you that the diocesan family to which you belong does not want to ‘appropriate’ the money left by Bud. But as your spiritual father I regard it as my responsibility to offer guidance in your stewardship responsibilities as so many of you requested.”
But then the letter outlines how half of the money could be pooled in the Catholic Foundation of Southwest Iowa, with only 5 percent withdrawn annually by parishes for designated projects.
The other half “could be invested in endowment funds of the diocese which provide for always growing needs related to our priests,” such as retirement, housing and medical insurance.....
Initial estimates of Skalla’s fortune hovered around $10 million. But a land auction in February at the parish hall in Portsmouth drew some 400 bidders and reaped more than $7.8 million for the five farms on the auction block – with the riches farmland drawing more than $12,000 per acre. The worth of the total estate soared past $13 million.
Portsmouth retains its own 282.72-acre farm and will receive the largest share of Skalla’s estate. The rest of the parishes should split considerably more than the initial estimate of $500,000 apiece.
“There’s all kinds of rumors flying around,” said Ray Chipman of Harlan, co-executor of Skalla’s will. But he downplayed the alarm over control of Skalla’s fortune as “just chatter.”

Bishops have a hard time seeing large amounts of money they can't control.  Also, $12,000 an acre? Wow.