Saturday, August 27, 2011

Dublin Diocesan Deficit - What diocese is proposing

Pay cuts for diocesan employees in line with public service reduction to be considered;

Assessment of the necessity of all central administration posts with potential redundancies;

A public campaign to raise awareness of the financial crisis;

A review of finances at all levels in the diocese and parish;

A review of all central administration posts;

A consultation with priests about financial planning towards 2020;

Need for parishes to increase contribution for the support of priests including serving, sick and retired priests;

Need for parishes to provide support for the payment of lay parish pastoral workers (PPW) even where there is now a PPW serving in the parish;

'Share Collection' to be re-launched as a solidarity fund sharing resources across the diocese with offices supporting parish finance, schools, evangelisation, communications, youth and family ministry;

Funds to be sought through diocesan website;

Need for wealthier parishes to contribute to more disadvantaged parishes to be discussed;

Parish development fund to be established to contribute to adult faith development and the faith development of young people;

Direct debit donations to replace planned giving and family envelopes to allow parish to know in advance what donations are expected;

Proceeds from the sale of parish houses or land is to be split 52 per cent to parish (if the parish needs it), 24pc to Share Pastoral Fund and 24pc to the Share Building Fund for future capital works across parishes;

Where parishes do not need to keep 52pc of the proceeds of property sales it will be equally gifted to the two 'share' funds;

New buildings in parishes will only be considered after the deficit has been eliminated;

Inter-parish loans are to be supported and promoted;

A levy of up to €12 per year on each Catholic household in a parish payable by the parish.