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Parish priest forced to cut wages
28.07.11
"We are experiencing
the effects of a very bad recession"
by Linda McGrory
A PRIEST in Co Donegal is being forced to cut the
wages of housekeepers, sacristans, secretarial and
maintenance staff as his parish feels the pinch of
the recession.
Fr John Walsh, parish priest of Buncrana, said he
will also have to cut back on heating, lighting and
utilities due to a drop in annual income of about
€85,000.
He said the weekly church collection is down by
around €1,000 as Mass-goers tighten their belts,
while the cost of utilities including heating oil
has soared. Another major blow to parish income was
the axeing of the lucrative parish savings scheme
two years ago over fears about the safety of bank
deposits. The scheme earned about €35,000 in annual
interest for the local church.
Fr Walsh said a recent meeting of his finance
committee agreed that cuts in parish expenditure
would have to begin on September 1. |
It was also agreed that
the parish would have to engage in more fundraising
to make ends meet.
"Our income per week has dropped by about €1,000
over the last year," said Fr Walsh. "And we were
obliged by the diocese to end the parish savings
scheme which has had a huge impact on us. We ended
the scheme about two years ago because the banks
looked iffy and we were afraid to lose people's
money. "Fr Walsh said the savings scheme had
provided a financial 'cushion' for the parish that
has now been removed.
The Buncrana parish's yearly income dropped to about
€300,000 last year. |
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Fr John Walsh. |
This money has to cover
the running of three churches, three parochial
houses and one parish hall in the main centres of
Buncrana, Cockhill and Desertegney. The oil heating
bill last year was €40,000, exacerbated by prolonged
icy weather and the major hike in fuel prices.
There are nine staff working in the parish of
Buncrana including three housekeepers, three
sacristans, a secretary, a parish hall manager and a
maintenance man. Wage cuts are currently being
negotiated with them while job losses have not been
ruled out.
Fr Walsh said the cutbacks would not affect the
number of Masses held each week but he said he would
have to economise on lighting and heating. "When
people going into the church before an evening Mass
the place will be lit in a more sombre way. The
spotlights will only come on when the priest comes
on to the altar." Fr Walsh said his parish
previously suffered a drop in income with the demise
of Fruit of the Loom and the resulting loss of
several thousand local jobs. "We are experiencing
the effects of a very bad recession. The parish is
feeling the pinch just like so many people," he
added. |
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