Without betraying their vow of poverty, about 140 priests in Leyte
are praying for a standard living allowance, said Fr. Amadeo Alvero,
Archdiocese of Palo spokesman.“This is still a plan, nothing concrete yet. Although we are targeting that this will be implemented on January 2014,” he told Manila Standard.
Alvero said the pastoral apostolate fund will entitle the priest to get “more or less between P5,000 to P 10,000” a month.
Fiduciary concerns can be queasy in the Holy See following the Vatican scam that rocked Rome, will the matter need the blessing of Pope Francis?
“Many dioceses in the country have already done this, like in Manila, they have standard living allowance,” Alvero said. “This will also be big help for us. At least we’ll be assured that we will be receiving something every month.”
In practice, priests relied on contributions in the locality where they are assigned.
Alvero said the plan has recieved the nod of Palo Archbishop John Du.
Fr. Virgilio Cañete, parish priest of Dulag town, spoke his mind in a social media post.
“It will be part of the financial reform initiated by the archdiocese to overhaul the revenue system and to provide a stable financial support to its priests. With the increase of the number of parishes, the mushrooming of mission stations, and the effect of intensive evangelization and catechesis, it is hoped that this seemingly impossible venture could be smoothly carried to the benefit of the whole archdiocese,” he said.
If adjustments are made, what is expected of the faithful?
“On the part of the parishioners, the burden of maintaining the budget for the operational expenses of the church and the maintenance needs of the Parish Church will have to be assumed by them through a sustained fund raising like: pledges, love offering, tithes, second collections, or if possible income generating projects, utilizing land resources, or capital for entrepreneurship.”
Starting as a diocese in 1937 and elevated to the Archdiocese of Palo in 1982, the archdiocese is also operating schools, hospitals, hospices, parish centers and retreat houses.
With around 64 parishes, the Archdiocese runs 1 chaplaincy, 3 quasi-parishes, 1 shrine and 14 mission stations, 2 seminaries (one housing the high school and college seminaries, and the other those undergoing theological studies).
Apart from these two seminaries, the Archdiocese has 23 other learning centers, 12 cathetical schools located in 12 parishes.
Archbishop Du ministers to 1.2 million Catholics in his spiritual care.