Diocese of Scranton adds collection to boost priests' benefits
Published: June 23, 2009
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share thisThe Diocese of Scranton announced this weekend the start of a new monthly collection to help pay for the retirement, education and health care costs of priests.
In flyers tucked into parish bulletins on Father's Day, the diocese outlined the widening gap between the rising costs of clergy care and education and the insufficient funds available to pay for those programs.
Bishop Joseph F. Martino said a second collection to be held at Masses on the first weekend of every month will be used to cover what he called the "enormous" costs of training and care, which are currently not fully met by ordinary diocesan revenues.
In the 2008-2009 fiscal year, the diocese is $1.8 million short of the $8.6 million needed to pay for clergy care and education, according to diocesan figures. Parish assessments and funds raised through the diocesan annual appeal contributed $6.8 million for those programs.
Bishop Martino said the new monthly collection "seems to be the most effective and understandable way to meet our obligations to the clergy" rather than increasing the assessments paid by parishes throughout the diocese.
According to diocesan figures for the 2008-09 fiscal year:
- The diocese had to pay $1.1 million for "clergy support and medical assistance" above the $2.9 million parishes contributed to cover health insurance premiums for active priests. Diocese spokesman William Genello said he could not specify what accounted for those costs because they pertain to "medical or other personal issues," but he said "the diocese is obligated to provide necessary care for priests who might be dealing with a variety of personal issues." He also said the costs have exceeded the amount budgeted for them.
- Costs to run the Villa St. Joseph retirement home for priests exceeded the funds parishes contributed to operate it by $38,000.
- Health care costs for retired priests were more than double the $696,000 parishes contributed for those expenses.
- Seminary and clergy education cost $263,000, but the diocese projects education expenses "will increase significantly" in the next fiscal year. Mr. Genello said a number of priests will be engaged in advanced studies this year, in part because priests must be trained in specific areas, like Canon Law, as older priests with those specialities retire.
Contact the writer: llegere@timesshamrock.com
151 posted comments
The parishes are not independent from the diocese. The recent closings and consolidations make that point clear. The parishes are the sole property of the diocese and by virtual of leadership role, the bishop.I think there are more essential questions that need to be addressed:
1. What happens to the money generate by the sale of parish property in this restructuring? Of school property being liquidated?
2. If new parishes are being formed and named as a result of this restructuring, will there be a new financial relationaship between parish and dioces established?
3. If priests are to legal employees of the parish, can the parish negotiate employment terms, ie. health and retirement benefits?
To clarify the parishes being told to "write a check" per the Catholic Light article: Pastors are permitted to use parish savings to reach their Appeal goal if they think this is necessary.
Also, the second collections may be canceled if the unmet parish
goal is attained before the two weekend collections have occurred.And the suddenly -lightening strikes and:
Parish Status Report Update
Since the Parish Status Report was published on April 9, 21
more parishes have reached goal:
Parish Goal Pledges
St. Anthony, Scranton $10,194 $10,194
St. Francis of Assisi, Scranton $35,517 $35,517
St. Joseph, Scranton $17,629 $17,629
St. Joseph, Minooka $55,534 $55,534
St. Lucy, Scranton $27,477 $27,477
SS Peter & Paul, Scranton $22,396 $22,396
St. Thomas Aquinas, Archbald $40,274 $40,482
St. Gregory, Clarks Green $78,740 $78,760
St. Gabriel, Hazleton $40,761 $40,806
Our Lady of Grace, Hazleton $37,726 $37,726
St. Francis of Assisi, Mildred $ 9,119 $ 9,215
St. Mary, Old Forge $46,720 $46,720
St. Michael, Old Forge $16,561 $16,561
St. Michael, Simpson $12,016 $12,016
Holy Trinity, Swoyersville $40,454 $40,454
Immaculate Conception, Taylor $ 8,849 $ 8,849
St. John the Baptist, Taylor $ 9,831 $ 9,831
Maternity of BVM, Wilkes-Barre $32,363 $32,555
St. Aloysius, Wilkes-Barre $47,792 $47,792
Ascension, Williamsport $23,251 $23,368
Holy Rosary, Williamsport $ 6,675 $ 6,683
59 parishes have now reached or surpassed their goals
Total pledges: $4,717,439
$582,561 still needed to make the overall campaign goalAll of these churches were well short of their goals until they were
advised to "write a check". We are not stupid - all dictators are alike - it's my way or I will make life very miserable for you. He ranks right up there with many, many others.
Excuse me, but I face reality every day. My kids used to attend Catholic school until Martino priced it out of my range, closed schools, fired teachers without warning and continues his dictatorship. He supplies jobs???? He eliminates jobs!!!!! I did contribut to the Annual Appeal - until he kept closing schools and ignoring the children that he needs to continue the Catholic faith in NEPA.
And in case you didn't read the first line of the article -
The Diocese of Scranton announced this weekend the start of a new monthly collection to help pay for the retirement, education and health care costs of priests. If that's not directly for priests I don't know what is. Or is it once again your blinder version of what you see. Take the blinders off - face reality - kick Martino back to Philadelphia ASAP. Maybe then you might reach the goals set and bring people back into church.
Excuse me, but I face reality every day. My kids used to attend Catholic school until Martino priced it out of my range, closed schools, fired teachers without warning and continues his dictatorship. He supplies jobs???? He eliminates jobs!!!!! I did contribut to the Annual Appeal - until he kept closing schools and ignoring the children that he needs to continue the Catholic faith in NEPA.
And in case you didn't read the first line of the article -
The Diocese of Scranton announced this weekend the start of a new monthly collection to help pay for the retirement, education and health care costs of priests. If that's not directly for priests I don't know what is. Or is it once again your blinder version of what you see. Take the blinders off - face reality - kick Martino back to Philadelphia ASAP. Maybe then you might reach the goals set and bring people back into church.
If certain priests had behaved responsibly, deciding that they couldn't curb their urges and therefore should leave the Church on their own accord, then tens of millions of dollars wouldn't have been spent in litigation and lawsuits paid by the Church maybe then there would have been enough money to go around. Or, instead of spending thousands upon thousands of dollars for exorbitant vestments, gold plated chalices and grandiose rectories, instead use that money where it's really needed: to help the poor and destitute members of this diocese. So, if you really practice what you preach, get rid of all these unnecessary adornments and then I will give you some of my hard earned money.
Excuse me, but I face reality every day. My kids used to attend Catholic school until Martino priced it out of my range, closed schools, fired teachers without warning and continues his dictatorship. He supplies jobs???? He eliminates jobs!!!!! I did contribut to the Annual Appeal - until he kept closing schools and ignoring the children that he needs to continue the Catholic faith in NEPA.
And in case you didn't read the first line of the article -
The Diocese of Scranton announced this weekend the start of a new monthly collection to help pay for the retirement, education and health care costs of priests. If that's not directly for priests I don't know what is. Or is it once again your blinder version of what you see. Take the blinders off - face reality - kick Martino back to Philadelphia ASAP. Maybe then you might reach the goals set and bring people back into church.
If certain priests had behaved responsibly, deciding that they couldn't curb their urges and therefore should leave the Church on their own accord, then tens of millions of dollars wouldn't have been spent in litigation and lawsuits paid by the Church maybe then there would have been enough money to go around. Or, instead of spending thousands upon thousands of dollars for exorbitant vestments, gold plated chalices and grandiose rectories, instead use that money where it's really needed: to help the poor and destitute members of this diocese. So, if you really practice what you preach, get rid of all these unnecessary adornments and then I will give you some of my hard earned money.
I laugh at all these people complaining in this comment section.
What a bunch of sorry nay sayers... they must all be on the Times payroll.
ps. Ever wonder why there is only one Catholic priest supporting Martino?