Audit Hoped to Be End of Marino Case

Church leaders say they hope a report on money paid to Vicki R. Long will end an unpleasant episode for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta.

The audit, which cost $84,000, revealed that the archdiocese spent $21,096 on Long, the woman whose two-year affair with former Archbishop Eugene A. Marino led to his resignation. Most of the money--$14,509--was paid to institutions and physicians for medical care, according to the report released in the Georgia Bulletin, the newspaper of the archdiocese.

The audit showed that Long received $1,345 from charity funds at St. Pius X parish in Conyers and $5,195 from St. John the Evangelist parish in Hapeville.

Father Peter Dora, spokesman for the archdiocese, said officials believe the report “fully and adequately addresses” questions about the stewardship of church funds. He said no more money will be paid to Long by the archdiocese or any of its components.