Gay, Atheist, Millionaire Robert W. Wilson, Who Committed Suicide Gave Millions to Catholic Church

[rug]

Philanthropist Robert W. Wilson.

By Leonardo Blair , CP Reporter
January 2, 2014|5:00 pm

Although he was openly gay and atheist, retired millionaire hedge-fund founder and philanthropist, Robert W. Wilson, who committed suicide in New York City just over a week ago, gave millions to the Catholic Church.

A New York Times report recently highlighted that Wilson, who was 87 when he died, began giving money to the Catholic school system of the Archdiocese of New York totaling some $30 million over several years. The report highlighted that he considered the Catholic school system more efficient than the public school system.

Wilson, according to the report, also felt obliged to reveal his status as a former Episcopalian turned atheist in making the donations. The report pointed to a 2010 interview Wilson did with Philanthropy magazine in which he recalled a lunch conversation with the former Archbishop, Cardinal Edward M. Egan.

"'Well, now that you've given all this money to our schools, I should try to convert you,'" Wilson remembered the cardinal saying. "I said to him: 'Well, cardinal, if you do, I suppose I should try to convert you. The only problem is that if I succeed, you'll lose your job.'"

http://www.christianpost.com/news/gay-atheist-millionaire-robert-w-wilson-who-committed-suicide-gave-millions-to-catholic-church-told-bill-gates-his-giving-pledge-was-worthless-111932/

What a strange story. I wonder what this is all about. I never heard of him.

Here's the New York Times report.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/28/nyregion/robert-w-wilson-hedge-fund-founder-and-philanthropist-dies-at-87.html?_r=1&

[cbayer]

1. Giving directly to the school system is different than giving generally to the church, imo.

In some communities, the public school systems are systemic failures and the catholic and other religious schools are the beacons of excellence.

IMHO, supporting the private schools does not solve the underlying problem, but it may give kids who might not otherwise have an opportunity, the chance for something better.

If he gave specifically to the schools, I would imagine that his reasons had to do with those kinds of things.

[rug]

2. He seems to have spent his life juggling contradictions.

And what a death.

Mr. Wilson was found dead Monday in an inner courtyard of the San Remo building on Central Park West, between 74th and 75th Streets, where he lived in a 16th-floor apartment. The police said he left a note indicating that he had leapt to his death.

His religious thoughts and donations are but part of the intrigue.

[cbayer]

3. Upper east side eccentrics are a fascinating part of Manhattan,

and he sounds like one.

This will make a fascinating documentary and I hope someone does one.

[rug]

4. Well he gravitated to the West Side.

Nothing god happens on the West Side.

[cbayer]

5. Ah, I misread that. I thought it was the east side.

Well, that explains a lot.

He was up there by the Dakota, a place that still holds a very sad part of my heart.