those expensive Bishop's residences

Steinfels replies at Commonwheal, of all places:

If you know anything about real estate prices and about the number of archdiocesan residences built in the day when American Catholics expected their leaders to live like VIPs, as well as about the number of archbishops’ residences that also house offices, reception areas, chapels, and rooms for other priests—well, then, you might be surprised that CNN’s Belief Blog found only ten of 34 archbishops so shamefully lodged.  Certainly I was.  And I suspect CNN was also. This was one of those stories that has its headline before it was even begun. CNN makes a big deal of its “investigation”—confirming addresses, checking public records, and even hiring appraisers.  But suppose that not ten but only eight or even five residences were found to be worth more than $1 million.  Wouldn’t the headline still have read “The Lavish Homes of American Archbishops”?  What is the likelihood that it would read “Despite Stereotypes, Most Archbishops Don’t Live in Luxury”?  Even the present story indicates that over two-thirds of the archbishops’ residences fell below that damning million-dollar mark. 

Our "house" here in the Philippines would probably be worth that much if it was in Manila inner city or in Boston. But we house two families, our offices, a rice packing area, a large meeting room, and several staff, plus visitor rooms to sleep overnight.