Author Topic: Pensions for retired NO priests (Read 1136 times)

Marlelar · « **on:** September 08, 2015, 01:29:43 PM »

I came across this article which talks about priests receiving a pension.

I know nothing about the retirement plans for priests so I'm wondering if when they have to "retire" do they live on their own or is their a retirement "village" or "home" for them?

What do retired priests do? I can understand that the infirm would need nursing home type of care but what about those who might be a bit "creaky" from age but are still sharp in the mind? Or even those who are still able bodied at 75?

Capt McQuigg · « **Reply #1 on:** September 08, 2015, 02:21:40 PM »

The article mentioned these pensions becoming commonplace in the 1970's. Did pensions exist for "retired" priests pre-Vatican II?

I see nothing wrong with priests who are too old being sent to a nice monastery somewhere - why the need for pensions at all?

Dolores · « **Reply #2 on:** September 08, 2015, 02:55:54 PM »

Some of my husband's family is NO, and we've discussed this in the past. Please keep in mind that this is just what these individuals told me; I have no first hand knowledge about this.

According to them, "retired" NO priests do not enter anything like lay retirement, at least for secular NO clergy. If they are still physically and mentally able, retired NO priests are usually attached to a large parish somewhere, but with no official role. While there, they administer the NO sacraments as they are able, and under the direction of the NO pastor, but have no administrative work. For example, at the NO parish of one my in-laws, there is a retired priest in his 90s who regularly hears confessions, but rarely says public Mass because he cannot stand for long periods of time.

Whether this is typical for retired NO priests across the country or the world, I have no idea.

songbird · « **Reply #3 on:** September 08, 2015, 03:00:55 PM »

Who pays the New Order priest? Gov't? When Russia took over in 1940, forced communism and took out true priest and put in their own kind, they were paid by Gov't that supported Russia/Bolshevik.

Dolores · « **Reply #4 on:** September 08, 2015, 03:07:25 PM »

Quote from: songbird

Who pays the New Order priest? Gov't? When Russia took over in 1940, forced communism and took out true priest and put in their own kind, they were paid by Gov't that supported Russia/Bolshevik.

It is my understanding, for secular NO clergy, that the diocese pays them a salary, and usually provides their housing (rectory). For example, in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, secular NO priests are paid between $21,000 and $24,000 per year, and retired NO priests are paid $12,000 per year, all of which comes from the archdiocese, at least according to docuмents that come up on Google.

TKGS · « **Reply #5 on:** September 08, 2015, 04:13:03 PM »

Conciliar secular priests generally receive a retirement check from the diocese according to the diocese's retirement plan. They may reside in a parish or may find other accommodations. Many secular priests seem to be able to purchase retirement homes (so they seem to have generous compensation plans while they are in active service, so to speak).

One secular priest I knew was the pastor of a particular parish for almost 40 years. The archdiocese said he had to retire at age 70. He bought a house in a nearby town and played golf just about every day when it wasn't storming. He filled in for priests around the archdiocese being paid a hefty fee for each Mass plus a travel reimbursement plus whatever Mass stipend was donated for someone's intention as scheduled by the parish.

I think, Dolores, that the pay scale you found on the internet are base salaries and that priests find other ways to supplement that income or are paid for other work in the diocese. If they actually had to live on those salaries, they wouldn't be taking the vacations they talk about all the time (virtually every priest returning from vacation would studiously tell us about his two weeks in Hawaii or on the beaches in Florida in their first sermon upon their return).

Many retired priests in the United States today also collect Social Security.

Dolores · « **Reply #6 on:** September 09, 2015, 08:55:59 AM »

Quote from: TKGS

I think, Dolores, that the pay scale you found on the internet are base salaries and that priests find other ways to supplement that income or are paid for other work in the diocese. If they actually had to live on those salaries, they wouldn't be taking the vacations they talk about all the time (virtually every priest returning from vacation would studiously tell us about his two weeks in Hawaii or on the beaches in Florida in their first sermon upon their return).

Could very well be. I have no idea.

Quote from: TKGS

Many retired priests in the United States today also collect Social Security.

I don't see anything wrong with that. Secular priests are paid a salary but the diocese, and thus are forced to pay Social Security taxes. If they paid into the system, is there some reason they shouldn't collect from it when they are eligible?

Something else we have to remember about secular priests: they don't take a vow of poverty and never have. While they should certainly live simply, avoid worldliness, and not live in a manner that interferes with their duties as a priest, there is nothing wrong with a secular priest having money.

TKGS · « **Reply #7 on:** September 09, 2015, 10:05:35 AM »

Quote from: Dolores

Quote from: TKGS
Many retired priests in the United States today also collect Social Security.

I don't see anything wrong with that.

Sorry, I didn't intend to suggest that there was anything wrong with it. This is just another aspect of their retirement plans. You are correct that secular priests do not take a vow of poverty and I don't begrudge their pay, only the fact that they preach a false faith and are leading many souls to hell.

I knew a secular (Conciliar) priest chaplain in the army in Alaska. He received the pay of a Major. He lived in the Bachelor Officers Quarters (BOQ), owned a pretty nice truck, He was an accomplished hunter and fisher. He lived on half of his net pay and the other half of his pay he sent part to his archdiocese where he was from (New York) and part to the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. In any event, half of a Major's pay in the 1980s (when I knew him) for a single soldier in the BOQ was nothing to sneeze at. I don't know him today, though I do know that he retired from the Army at 20 years (and, thus, receives a military pension), moved to Alaska permanently and was formally transferred to the Diocese of Fairbanks where he hunts, fishes, and says the Novus Ordo for Catholics living in the various Alaskan villages throughout the interior. Last I heard, he loves it.

songbird · « **Reply #8 on:** September 09, 2015, 08:59:46 PM »

Thank You for that post. Even if the Archdioceses pays it out, where does the money come from? Does the gov'ts, I wonder, have anything to do with it? They did in the 1940 when Russia took over.

TKGS · « **Reply #9 on:** September 10, 2015, 06:24:48 AM »

Quote from: songbird

Thank You for that post. Even if the Archdioceses pays it out, where does the money come from? Does the gov'ts, I wonder, have anything to do with it? They did in the 1940 when Russia took over.

The government's involvement with a diocesan retirement plan would be no more or less than its involvement with any employer's retirement plan--whatever involvement that might be. The government is not funding the plans but establishing various regulatory requirements. I really don't know what Russia did in 1940 so I can't compare and contrast the level of involvement here. Suffice it to say that, for administrative, tax, pension, and other non-religious issues, the U.S. government (as well as the several State governments) consider the legal entities that have incorporated as dioceses throughout the country simply as corporate employers in the same way as it considers Walmart a corporate employer.