Cash-strapped priests are facing a significant pay cut, which will see their meagre salaries plunge by 25% in the space of just two years.
Clergymen in the Dublin diocese have already seen their modest wages slashed by 15%, after two successive cuts of 6% and 9% were ordered within the space of just 12 months.
But the latest move, one of a number of tough measures drawn up by diocesan chiefs to plug a huge hole in their dwindling finances, will result in churchmen’s salaries dropping by a quarter in total in a two-year period.
That equates to a €7,000 fall in gross salary to just over €21,000, meaning priests across the capital will see their take-home pay chopped even more when tax and pension contributions are accounted for.
The proposed measures, due to come into effect in November, have reportedly hit morale among members of Dublin’s priesthood, particularly amongst older members who could face further deductions.
According to The Irish Catholic, clergymen aged over 66 could be hit with further cuts as Archbishop Diarmuid Martin attempts to counteract a hefty €10m drop in diocesan income over two years.
The paper reports sources from Archbishop’s House admitting that "a number of senior priests are furious at the new cuts", while senior clergy said many clerics in the capital were "ready to walk away" because of the way they have been treated.
However, a spokesman for the Association of Catholic Priests said yesterday he did not expect the salary cuts to result in priests abandoning their vocations.
Fr Brendan Hoban, who is also the parish priest in Moygownagh, Co Mayo, said: "Salaries vary from diocese to diocese and would be around €20,000 where I’m from.
"But nobody joins the priesthood for the money and I certainly wouldn’t expect priests to walk away because of this."
Moves to slash salaries are deemed necessary after diocesan officials estimated that the common fund, from which priests are paid, will run a deficit of €1.3m for 2011/2012.
Financial pressures are worsened by a steep €10m decline in diocesan income in just two years, down from €66.2m in 2008/2009 to €59.4m the following year and to €55.9m in 2010/2011.
The drop in diocesan income comes as running costs for the diocese continue to climb.
But the latest move, one of a number of tough measures drawn up by diocesan chiefs to plug a huge hole in their dwindling finances, will result in churchmen’s salaries dropping by a quarter in total in a two-year period.
That equates to a €7,000 fall in gross salary to just over €21,000, meaning priests across the capital will see their take-home pay chopped even more when tax and pension contributions are accounted for.
The proposed measures, due to come into effect in November, have reportedly hit morale among members of Dublin’s priesthood, particularly amongst older members who could face further deductions.
According to The Irish Catholic, clergymen aged over 66 could be hit with further cuts as Archbishop Diarmuid Martin attempts to counteract a hefty €10m drop in diocesan income over two years.
The paper reports sources from Archbishop’s House admitting that "a number of senior priests are furious at the new cuts", while senior clergy said many clerics in the capital were "ready to walk away" because of the way they have been treated.
However, a spokesman for the Association of Catholic Priests said yesterday he did not expect the salary cuts to result in priests abandoning their vocations.
Fr Brendan Hoban, who is also the parish priest in Moygownagh, Co Mayo, said: "Salaries vary from diocese to diocese and would be around €20,000 where I’m from.
"But nobody joins the priesthood for the money and I certainly wouldn’t expect priests to walk away because of this."
Moves to slash salaries are deemed necessary after diocesan officials estimated that the common fund, from which priests are paid, will run a deficit of €1.3m for 2011/2012.
Financial pressures are worsened by a steep €10m decline in diocesan income in just two years, down from €66.2m in 2008/2009 to €59.4m the following year and to €55.9m in 2010/2011.
The drop in diocesan income comes as running costs for the diocese continue to climb.
Figures for the ‘Share’ collection, to be released this weekend, show €4.76m was spent on central administration in the year 2010/2011, €100,000 more than the previous year and considerably higher than the relatively low €1m bill in 2002/2003.
Meanwhile, Massgoers are expected to be asked by their priests in September to dig deep in their pockets to help ease Church financial pressures.
Meanwhile, Massgoers are expected to be asked by their priests in September to dig deep in their pockets to help ease Church financial pressures.