English priest writes:
I was astonished to read this morning on your Blog the level of salaries enjoyed by priests and bishops in Ireland.
I live in Xxxxxxxxxxx diocese, over here in England, and priests serving in parishes receive allowances as follows:
Personal Allowance – £4,404 p.a. (£367 p/m) (approx. £84.69 p/week)
Food Allowance – £3,900 p.a. (£325 p/m) (approx. £75.00 p/week)
Total – £8,304 p.a. (£692 p/m) (approx. £159.69 p/week)
With all presbytery bills paid.
Priests can purchase their cars through a car scheme.
Their other income must come from Mass offerings, stole fees, gifts and any private income. All income is taxable.
Priests in other active roles receive an appropriate allowance, dependent upon their duties.
Retired priests receive a tax-exempt discretionary allowance from a very old independent registered charity and a top-up from the diocese if their total annual income from all sources is less than approximately £15,800 per annum. Retired priests must otherwise pay their own bills and accommodation, including care fees, if necessary with government assistance and/or support from the diocese.
Hope this helps!
IN THE USA
These US figures are interesting given how close the US dollar and British pound have become.
A priest in the better parts of the US are on 71,700 per annum.
PAT SAYS
Priests in Ireland have always been better off than priests in the UK.
And another great asset Irish priests most often have is that they live alone and don’t have to live with other priests.
Shared presbyteries can be very unpleasant places to live.
If you are a curate to a bossy PP he can make your life very miserable.
If you have to share a house with a difficult colleague it can be very miserable too.
Of the seven parishes I worked in I had to share in six.
When I was coming to Lane I requested to live alone.
It was like getting out of Purgatory.
Priests in religious orders have to take vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience.
Secular priests – those who serve in dioceses and parishes – take no vow of poverty and therefore can own as much property and money as they like.
Jesus never said it was wrong to be rich.
But He did say it was wrong not to share your riches.
In fact, the better off you are, the more good you can do, if you wish.
Priests, like all, are entitled to a certain standard of living.
As priests, they are also called to be examples of love, generosity, giving etc.
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 