Without this preferential treatment, many Catholic dioceses would have been ineligible because -- between their head offices, parishes and other affiliates -- their employees exceed the 500-person cap. And that favoritism was worth billions of dollars.The amount that the church collected, between $1.4 billion and $3.5 billion, is an undercount. The Diocesan Fiscal Management Conference, an organization of Catholic financial officers, surveyed members and reported that about 9,000 Catholic entities received loans. At this point, the argument is youre anti-religious if in fact you would say the Catholic Church shouldnt be getting government funding, Hamilton said. ___CASHING IN FASTAfter its lobbying blitz, the Catholic Church worked with parishes and schools to access the money.