Boston archdiocese criticized for lay employees’ high salaries
March 21, 2012
Amid parish closures and dramatic cuts in the number of chancery staff, the number of lay employees of the Archdiocese of Boston who earned more than $150,000 a year increased from five in 2006 to 17 in 2011. Despite the elimination of 50 positions, payroll costs increased from $8.3 million to $9.2 million.
Last year, the archdiocesan superintendent of schools earned more than $351,000, while the top attorney earned over $326,000 and the chancellor received more than $276,000.
“To focus on salaries and not look at the broader picture is vastly unfair,” said archdiocesan spokesman Terrence Donilon. “These folks are immensely talented people who are helping one of the largest archdioceses in the country repair itself. The Church is in a much better position than it was 10 years ago, and that’s in no small part due to the talented people the cardinal has brought around him.”
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Posted by: unum -
Mar. 22, 2012 6:58 AM ET USA
I remember when the spiritual Church's lay employees worked for a living wage and the opportunity to serve God. Now, that is apparently not enough and our "corporate" Church must pay a competitive wage or employees will go "job hunting". Once again, the secular culture has influenced our Church instead of our Church changing the culture. We need a new "mission statement" for the corporate Church that puts God back in charge instead of the USCCB CEO's.
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Posted by: lauriem5377 -
Mar. 21, 2012 7:05 PM ET USA
On the backs of our families...we sacrifice things from our families to provide when our church asks for money, we think, for those in greater need, and then we find out this is how our money is being spent. A good book for everyone in the hierarchy in Boston to read for Lent might be Thomas A Kempis - the Imitation of Christ. Can our Church and 'Catholic' organizations (colleges and hospitals and CHD) get any more out of touch with the laity - and with our Lord?
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Posted by: Contrary1995 -
Mar. 21, 2012 6:23 PM ET USA
A good title for this story: "The Perils of a Part-Time Archbishop."
