Priests in several Irish dioceses are taking a voluntary pay freeze as the recession continues to take hold.The move comes as it has emerged that many priests are being paid less than they would earn claiming job seekers' allowance.
The Irish Catholic understands that several Priests' Councils have agreed that 2009 salary increases for priests would be ''inappropriate'' giving falling Church revenues and the wider economic situation.
However, one priest from a northern diocese, who asked not to be identified, questioned whether priests' should accept a pay freeze. ''We are not being paid very well as it is,'' he told The Irish Catholic.
''In this diocese we get paid only €8,000 per year, so we're hardly at the same level as the bankers,'' he said.
Recipients of social welfare are entitled to approximately €12,000 per annum while unemployment benefit in the Republic is set at just over €10,000 per year.
However, one priest in a diocese in the southwest told The Irish Catholic: ''I think it is appropriate that we show some solidarity with people who are losing their jobs and see their income dropping.''
Priests' salaries vary considerably from diocese-to-diocese with some priests being paid as much as €32,000 per year while other can only expect a fraction of this.
The average industrial wage in the Republic is €36,000 while people in the construction industry earn an average of €50,000 per year.
Many dioceses have tried to equalise pay in recent years with every priest in the diocese receiving the same amount.
However, in some other dioceses, the amount a priest receives varies considerably from parish-to-parish.
In the western diocese of Killala, the idea of a pay freeze was discussed and received considerable support.
However, the Council of Priests there decided that each priest should take an individual decision on this and that this should not be publicised.
At least two other dioceses have asked their priests to take a pay freeze in the current economic climate.
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(Source: IC)